


The Long Road

by Not_enough_hours



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-08 07:38:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 54,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4296276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_enough_hours/pseuds/Not_enough_hours
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I’m updating my summary (old one below) to add that this is essentially a 3rd season rewrite. While it does start with Clarke AWOL it quickly heads into Grounder politics, spies ,spirits and a lot of drama Oh my! No AI malarky - which, while a cool idea, I just found clunky and poorly executed in the show. Spirits for the win instead. Clexa slowish burn.</p><p>The Mountain has fallen and life goes on whether you're ready or not. Tensions must be resolved between friends and Clans alike. Turns out Grounder life is more diverse and complex than Clarke or any of the Arkers imagined. Is there a home among the Clans for them? And can Lexa hold all these complex threads together?When will surviving end and living begin?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 – Dead bunnies & Old Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Am I the only one who thinks Clarke has an awful lot of medical knowledge for someone who was thrown in the Skybox at 16/17? (Think of when she tries to heal Tris)
> 
> I love The 100's world/universe and the Octavia & Clarke dynamic is super interesting and doesn't get enough of air time in my book...I look forward to playing with both :)

**Chapeter 1 – Dead bunnies & Old Friends**

 

In the end she was gone less than three weeks. She'd walked away because she desperately needed to find peace but all she really found was that she was woefully unprepared for the bitter cold of winter.

 

Clarke could tell herself she'd left for space, for distance from the choices she was forced to make but really she'd simply left because she didn't have any strength left to face anyone. She felt as hollow as the mountain that she was trying uselessly to put behind her. Dealing with anyone and their disappoint, their anger or even support was more than she thought she could take. She had nothing left to give.

 

The first thing she'd done after parting from Bellemy was walk back toward the Dropship, once there she picked up some supplies. The hundred had left the Dropship under duress, whisked away not to return... but before that final battle, before Clarke had burnt 300 grounders alive and before the remaining 100 had frantically retreated, they had been packed intent on leaving for the coast.

 

Since the Mountain Men's capture of the 100 and since the fall of the Ark everything had been left at the Dropship as it was. So it was easy to pick up a discarded pack left untouched, protected in one of the many bolt holes. She thought about staying, it'd been a fairly unforgiving place but in the months since they'd landed it'd been a home of sorts and her heart longed for the comfort of home.

 

In the end she left without even staying the night.

 

It was Octavia that found her weeks later. Clarke shouldn't have been surprised, if any Skaikru was going to have a hope of finding her it was going to be Octavia. But she **was** surprised, surprised because she was ninety nine percent certain that Octavia still hated her guts. After all she'd already said it “after this we're done.” and she was pretty sure the murder of another 380 souls on top of TonDC had done nothing but reinforced Octavia's thoughts about her. So when one day, in the late afternoon she stood up from cleaning a rabbit (only the second she'd caught) and looked straight into the dark eyes of her friend, she let out a startled sqwark and took a stumbling step back.

 

“Jesus, Clarke... How has something not eaten you yet?” Octavia remarked dryly stepping further out of the surrounding foliage, Lincoln suddenly melting out of the shadows like smoke at her side.

 

“Octavia?..Wh-What are you doing here?”

 

“Looking for you obviously” Octavia's already dry tone somehow got drier.

 

Clarke tried to get a read on the girl in front of her but Octavia's time under Indra had taught her well. The girl stood contained and alert and was clearly similarly assessing Clarke. They stood like that just staring at each other before suddenly the tension flowed out of the brunette and she glanced to the man at her side, tossing her dark braids over her shoulder. Clarke gratefully used the moment to get her bearings. Settling her weight once more in her heels she sunk back into a crouch and resumed cleaning her rabbit... badly. She supposed she should be friendlier, greet the other girl and her stoic partner properly but again she found she just didn't have it in her. In the end she went with direct.

 

“Well I guess you found me” she said avoiding eye contact and focusing on her rabbit with the intensity of her her mother performing surgery

“but the question is why would **you** of all people come looking for me?”

 

Suddenly all the fire and anger that almost seemed woven into her friends soul came simmering to the surface, dark eyes flashed and she growled.

 

“ God Griffin why do you THINK! “ here Octavia took a few heated steps forward entering Clarkes personal space “You LEFT us...you left us to deal”

 

Since embarking on her enforced sabbatical one of the things that vaguely worried Clarke about herself was that she alternated between gut wrenching guilt or a kind of numb emptiness, like her mind had decided it was all to much and in order to protect her it just shut it all off. Her isolated days just encouraged her apathy.

 

But now, now she found her own fire, thrust back suddenly into the company of others, she suddenly found the spark of something that wasn't emptiness, depression or guilt. Anger. So what if most of that anger stemmed from a reluctance to have her delicately balanced apathy bubble burst? It was something.

 

Dropping the gory mess in her hands she shot to her full height so she was nose to nose with the brunette..

 

“No! You know what Octavia? I DON'T know what to think because the last time we talked you were pretty clear you didn't want anything to do with me !!

 

The two women stood breathing hard and glaring at each other.

 

It was Lincoln who broke their stand off, silently moving to stand beside them. Putting one large hand on Octavia's shoulder. At his touch she visibly deflated, letting out an explosive breath, breaking eye contact with Clarke.

 

Turning his attention to Clarke.

 

“We're here to talk, there are things you need to know” Looking down he nudged the mess of a rabbit at his feet “ But not like this”

 

The girls held themselves still watching each other before Octavia sighed again.

 

“He's right there are things you gotta know...”

 

Clarke took a moment to consider before she nodded. As much as she didn't want her apathy bubble burst (she couldn't even call in peace in her head) whatever was going on was big enough to motivate Octavia past her very obvious anger to seek her out. She didn't commit genocide just to let it turn to shit the moment she turned her back. For this reason she'd hear them out.

 

“Ok”

 

Lincoln glanced at the sky. “There is enough light left in the day, I will hunt us some dinner. You two talk.” he said with a pointed look.

 

It didn't sound like a request to Clarke. With that he turned and began to pick his way silently into the trees.

 

“Hey Lincoln!” He pause swinging round to look a her over his shoulder “Uh thanks” He nodded once before disappearing.

 

The two girls stood awkwardly in the weak light of fading afternoon considering each other. Clarke glanced around the small clearing and creek before gesturing to Octavia to follow her up the small embankment.

 

“My camps up here...I only came down here to clean dinner. We can talk there.” With that she picked up the mostly usable rabbit and started to lead the way. Octavia grunted and started to follow scrabbling up the steep slope. They walked in silence along the ridge that led to a rocky out crop where Clarke had chosen to make her camp.

 

Octavia cleared her throat “It's good you didn't camp right on the creek...It flows to fast, makes to much noise, you wouldn'ta been able to hear people sneaking up on you”

 

Clarke cut her eyes across to her companion. She was clenching her teeth, her eyes darting around taking in her surroundings and clearly was still angry but also clearly trying to move past it, Clarke had enough sense to recognize an olive branch when she saw one.

 

“Uh yeah...Lexa taught me that” But apparently not enough sense to really think before she spoke. It was obviously was the wrong thing to say. Octaiva snorted and was now clenching her fist as well her jaw.

 

“...and of course you lapped up her lessons..”

 

Clarke decided to say nothing, they were arriving at her camp anyway. She'd made the camp up against an outcrop of rocks in the hope of preventing people from sneaking up on her from behind but it also provided some decent protection from the elements. Instinctively she'd gone for higher ground but this higher ground was more exposed to the icy wind that came roaring off the mountain. She was frequently very, very cold.

 

The supplies she'd picked up from the Dropship were pretty handy, containing one of the Dropship tents and a spare fly (made from part of the ship parachute) She used this to shield the fire pit-come-sitting area.

 

Walking into the camp she dropped the rabbit onto a large flat rock that in her head she called “table rock” before stoking the low embers in the fire pit to a full flame. Her wood pile she'd placed on the other side of the camp so it also doubled as yet another wind break and barricade. This done she settled on a log by fire before realising there was no where for Octavia to sit.

 

“Uh sorry! Normally I don't have need for a second seat...Here you take this I'll find something” With that she stood beginning to look just past her tinder pile where she knew there were some larger stones but Octavia waved her off.

 

“ Nah don't worry about it Princess” and with that she dropped bonelessly to the ground close to the fire. How she made such a mundane move look graceful Clarke didn't know but envied all the same.

 

“Nice set up you got here...planning on staying a while?” Octavia said while idly tracing patterns in the dirt with her fingers.

 

Sitting back down Clarke fed a few more sticks into the fire which was now flickering nicely.

 

“Wasn't the plan but I might..”

 

“What **was** the plan? WAS there a plan?”

 

Clarke glance away out into the twilight shrugging “No, not really... Just to get away.. .” She sighed and rubbed her hands over her thighs to warm them, already the temperature was dropping.

 

“When I first left I just walked and walked...” She gazed back into the flames “But I couldn't keep it up I only had a bit of water and no food. I'm useless at hunting..”

 

“I dunno there is very dead bunny on that rock that says otherwise..” commented Octavia softly. Now it was Clarkes turn to snort but she gave a tentative smile at the girl sitting across from her.

 

“yeah don't get excited its only my second catch in like three weeks...don't even ask what I did to catch it.”

 

“Well I've been trying to play nice but you DO look like shit...”

 

Clarke would have been offended if she didn't know it was true, she'd seen her reflection in the creek this morning. A lack of food and no sleep (thanks to the constant nightmares) had done her appearance no favours. She looked haggard.

 

“Thanks, you say the sweetest things” Here Octavia smiled and Clarke was reminded for a split second of the easy banter they once had. Octavia along with Finn had been her first friends down here on earth and if she were being really honest they were the first friends she'd made in a long time. Being part of the “privilaged” had made making real connections as a teenager difficult, in hindsight she was lucky she had Wells. The brunette by the fire seemed to be waiting for her to continue so she went on.

 

“I kept walking until it was clear I couldn't continue. I''ve stopped once before this, camped for a couple of nights down in the valley, just to regroup, spend sometime finding food properly. Then I started walking again and then I ended up here. This will be my fourth night...I was going to move on soon, so I guess you're lucky you caught me.

 

“Yeah I guess we're lucky we did” said the girl and Clarke was unprepared for how bitter she sounded, not knowing what to say next Clarke let the silence grow. Octavia was frowning hard scratching little furrows into the earth with a twig. Clarke cleared her throat.

 

“So uh why were you looking for me?”

 

Octavia didn't look up from her etching in the dirt “We should wait for Lincoln to get back to talk about that...”

 

Now Clarke was confused.

 

“Pretty sure he told us to talk before he left”

 

The girl on the floor glanced up “No he didn't mean about that...”

 

Clarke raised an eyebrow.

 

“He's a lot more zen than me y'know? He wants me to deal and he likes you...” Clearly this last bit frustrated her... although she sounded frustrated in general at the moment, so Clarke wasn't completely sure.

 

“Well I mean that's good, I like him too....”

 

“arrghh” Her Octavia got to her feet and paced to the edge of the firelight, dusk had settled and while the world outside of camp was still in half light it was beginning to turn blue with the approaching night. She stood there gazing out for a long time. Clarke was about to ask her again what was going on when she spoke.

 

“You were suppose to be my friend.” It was said in the smallest voice Clarke had ever heard the wild girl use and Clarke felt her heart leap to her throat and lodge there. When nothing more was forth coming Clarke rushed to defend herself.

 

“I was, I AM...We're friends Octavia...” and Clarke was at a loss

 

“I don't think I believe you” She still wasn't looking at Clarke, still sounding hurt. This wasn't the Octavia that Clarke was use to. The Octavia she knew was all wild anger and aggression, hurt them before they hurt you style responses...

 

Clarke couldn't keep sitting either she stood and took a few steps closer.

 

“Yes we are! I know things are kind of shitty between us right now but you know that's not because I don't think of you as a friend. You have to know that! We're fine on my end, really. You're upset with the choices I've made but everything I've done I've done for you and the others...Everything” Here Clarke's voice trembled ,she was already feeling too raw.

 

“... NOT for me! ” Said Octavia whirling around and THERE was the fire Clarke had been expecting.

 

“I thought you were my friend ya know? I thought you cared about me. You were like the first girl friend I ever had...” She paced toward fire staring at it.

 

Clarke just stared, not sure where this was coming from, not sure what to do to fix it.

 

“I mean I know we didn't always agree but didn't I always have your back? Even against Bell I had your back! Especially in those early days!” Here she stared at Clarke earnestly

 

“and yeah things were a bit rocky for a bit cuz you tortured Lincoln but I got over it because I understood you just wanted Finn to be ok and I get that...So I thought we were good....” here she trails off.

 

Clarke can't take it anymore

 

“God O, we ARE good! You're my friend! Why the hell would think I'm not!” She takes two steps around the fire and now they are facing each other

“Because you save your friends!” Octavia shouts and all the air leaves Clarkes body. Suddenly Clarke know what this is about and she's not sure she has the strength for this. This is about TonDC.

“After all that's what you DO isn't it Clarke?” but Clarke has no voice to respond.

“You saved Jasper when you hardly knew him. You did everything you could to save Charlotte, save Raven, save Bellemey...and Finn don't get me started on Finn...how many times did you go above and beyond for him?” The girl in front of her is shaking with emotion and Clarke shakes along with her.

 

“ No you know what? I've changed my mind. Lets talk about Finn. You were ready to let us go to WAR for him! For one guy! There was an army a thousands banging at our door waiting to kill everyone..and you said NO. I know you might have kinda loved him but let's put it in perspective this was a guy you'd known only as long as the rest of us...and still you said no.”

 

“So I don't understand why less than a week later...the same person who tired to save Finn, at the risk of everyone, WOULDN'T try and save me? Unless I just didn't matter to that person unless they just weren't my friend...”

 

Clarke can't breathe, she literally can't breathe. As Octavia finishes her tirade Clarke's ears start ringing, she takes another breathe but can't get any air and her vision is tunneling. She's not even aware that she's dropped to her knees until she puts her hand out to steady herself.

 

Because all of what Octavia says is true and the depth and the real cause of Octavia's hurt over TonDC finally becomes clear. It was never just her disapproval for Clarke's choice to sacrifice the battle for the war...though Clarke know that this is still a large part of her friends conflict. Octavia is just too black and white, too immediate in the way she views the world to ever fully accept TonDC. But Octavia is also the one among them that embraced Grounder culture as her own and the Trikru were a people soaked in sacrifice so on some level Clarke knows Octavia must get it.

 

No Octavia's vehemence comes from being the one that came second. From being unwanted by everyone except two people. Desperate for a place in the world, to matter to be valued. On the ark her life meant so little they would've killed her for just existing...and now just when she thought she mattered , just when she thought that she had a place, Clarke had inadvertently reinforced the view that she was disposable,inconsequential compared to the rest.

 

Except that's not what Clarke meant to happen. Not at all.

 

Clarke is gasping and Octavia is now reaching for her in concern, dark eyes wide as she takes in Clarkes struggling form.

 

“Clarke! Clarke! Easy! Breathe! Deep breaths C'mon on breathe with me...in, out, in, out see? In, out, in, out...that's it. You're having a panic attack.. I use to get them sometimes when I was in confined spaces” the small space under the floor is left unsaid “....Bell would breathe with me...in, out, in out. See look? you're ok.”

 

“I forgot you were there” It leaves Clarke's mouth as a strangle whine and Octavia rocks back on her heals eyes searching the blondes face.

 

“I forgot you were there. I forgot you were there...I looked right at you and I forgot you were there. You and Marcus you were the only ones in TonDC and I forgot! I saw you when I arrived and then I went to Lexa and we talked and I was frantic trying to think of what we should do....there was everyone in the camp and there was everyone in the mountain and everyone was in danger and and and I just forgot you were there!

 

Its all just tumbling out of her mouth. Its been weeks since the mountain, weeks since TonDC and she hasn't yet fallen apart about it but she thinks she is now. Maybe she needs to.

“I'm sorry I'm so sorry... I forgot about you! I nearly killed you!” she says with a moan

 

Octavia continues to look at her before nodding sharply in what a detached part of Clarkes brain notes was a particularly Grounder motion..

 

“Ok”

 

Clarke blinks

 

“Ok?”

 

“Ok you forgot I was there...” here she gives a loose one shouldered shrug “ I mean don't get me wrong its not great to be forgotten either but...But its so much better than you just not.....” here she loses articulation. “I mean clearly you care.” She waves a hand gesturing to Clarkes hunched form. “ I...I thought, I thought you didn't...and that made me feel stupid and mad...” And hurt Clarke adds silently.

 

“Yeah O I care” The blonde says her breathing and composure slowly returning to normal. Dusting herself off she sits back on the log resting her elbows on her knees and dropping her face into her hands before scrubbing at her face and running a hand through her tangled hair.

 

A warm body drops onto the log next her pressing against her side. Octavia had always favoured action over words.

 

“I think about it all the time, you know? I mean I decided I couldn't evacuate the village, which haunts me but it was the call I made... but to forget about you? I would have just grabbed you on the way out. I should have just grabbed you....”

 

“I wouldn't have come, I'd have made a fuss...” The brunette had been watching the fire but here she turns to give Clarke a dark smile “ I'm not like you, If I'd known I'd have tried to save them...I'm not a commander, I'm a warrior I react I don't preempt. Then we BOTH would be dead...So its probably a good thing you're forgetful or all our kru would be drained and dead”

 

Clarke gives a weak smile back she's surprised by her friends insight. She bumped her shoulder against the one currently leaning up against her before saying lightly.

 

“I know. I'd have lied to you....”

 

Octavia looks affronted

 

“Hey!” She made a grumpy noise “Then we *still* woulda been on the outs... I would of hated you for being a liar. No one likes a liar Clarke.”

 

“Hated me..but you would have been alive to hate. A fair trade I'd say...” Octavia just leans further into Clarke in answer.

 

Night had fully fallen now and the noises of the night had started up as the two sat in comfortable silence. Clarke could hear the meeping noise of what she hoped was an owl, hoped because she figured an owl was unlikely to try and eat her.

 

“I assume you'll let me know when we should be worried about Lincoln...”

 

“Meh he's fine. The man was born in the forest...I'm more worried about him bringing home enough rabbits.”

 

Clarke couldn't help but smile. “Well that sounds awfully domestic...”

 

“Shut up” replies the girl next to her but a large grin slides across her face.

 

They sat just watching the hypnotic crackle and pop of the fire.

 

“Its happened before you know....”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“Me. Forgetting important things under pressure...”

 

“Clarke...”

 

“No, no....back on the Ark when were younger. You might not remember because well you were probably under the floor at the time...” The brunette grunts “but years back there was an explosive fire in C deck...pressurized oxygen line exploded“

 

“ No I remember, Bell had started up his guard training by then...He musta been 18? 19? Mom was freakin out because the trainees shadow the guards and she thought he might be down there...I've never seen her so stressed.”

 

“Yeah it was bad I mean really bad...” Octavia glanced at her in surprise

 

“You were there? What were you doing down on C deck?”

 

“No No, I was in Medical....” Clarke hunches further in on herself

 

“I started training pretty early, so I spent afternoons in the clinic following around doctors on duty” she shrugged loosely “...getting them anything that they needed and practicing simple stuff, stuff like inserting IV's, stitches, strapping a sprain...”

 

“ The Doctors Second” Says Octavia decisively before getting up to grab some more wood for the fire, sticks in hand she moves toward the fire snapping them into thirds as she goes.

 

Clarke smiled wryly at Octavia's translation of Ark life to Grounder life, once again reminded that really, her friend had experienced much more life on the ground, than she ever had in the sky.

 

“Yeah pretty much...” Watching her friend poke her fire she's unable to help herself “There are some larger logs over there too, maybe put one of those on it'll probably need to be a bit hotter and lower to cook dinner”

 

The young warrior pauses in her chore only so long as to shoot Clarke a withering look.

 

“I know how to make a fire Clarke...get on with your story”

 

Clarke holds up her hands in the universal gesture of surrender “OK ok sorry! though I'm pretty sure you just nominated yourself to cook dinner !”

Clark picked nervously at a loose thread in her jeans before turning her thoughts back to her confession.

 

“Anyway unless there was a contagion not contained medical wasn't too bad, pretty quiet in fact...but this...this was like hell” Clarke shuddered at the memories “Three dead and eleven with burns ranging from 2nd to 3rd degree. We just weren't really equipped to deal with it. Fire on the Ark was mostly unheard of...” Octavia quirked an eyebrow at her “It's due to the amount of oxygen it consumes it was pretty much banned, any fire was closely monitored...” the blonde elaborates for her sheltered friend.

 

Done with the fire Octavia came back to sit by Clarke throwing herself down haphazardly jostling Clarkle and the blonde was surprised at how much she appreciated the casual contact.

 

“People were screaming and moaning and their skin was just like melting off them....It, I...thinking back it was kinda like the mountain....”

 

Now Clarke feels ill her stomach rolling. Octavia seems to sense this and wraps a loose arm over her shoulder.

 

“Both the Mountain and this fire are in the past Clarke...they're gone. They can't hurt you and you can't help them, sucks but that's the way it is.” Something about the brunettes tone triggers a memory.

 

“The dead are gone and the living are hungry?” she murmurers.

 

Octavia drops the arm to look at Clarke in surprise.

 

“Did Indra tell you that?” She demands.

 

Clarke studies the girl in front of her.

 

“No. No Lexa did...” Clarke swallows the lump in her throat “Just after we burned Finn...”

 

“Huh. Indra said the same thing to me. After the missile...but before I figured out that you knew. Maybe the high and mighty Commander Seconds to Indra too, that'd be classic. She thinks she's better than the rest of us but really she's exactly the same!”

 

Clarke ignores Octavia's animosity towards Lexa for the moment her mind busy making links.

 

“I don't know about Indra but she was defiantly Anya's Second...and it sounds like Anya spent a lot of time in TonDC....”

 

“No, you're right that does explain it... Cuz I'm pretty sure Anya was Second to Indra at some point. Indra always seems doubly grumpy when Anya is mentioned. I know right? how is that even possible? But its true I swear it...and once she dropped the line 'even Anya wasn't this unless' when we were training”

 

Interesting.

 

“Any way so you were in the middle of fucked up situations even before the ground? What happened next?”

 

“To be fair it was just this one time that was fucked up...mostly my life was embarrassingly easy”

 

Octavia makes a 'whatever' gesture with her hand and nods to Clarke to get on with it.

 

I forgot.” Clarke released an explosive breath “ People were in pain and dying and I forgot”

 

The brunette wiggled so she could see Clarke better.

 

“ You are going to have to rewind a little for me Princess. What did you forget?”

 

“The supplies” she replied succinctly.

 

“Ark medical only kept a certain amount of supplies on hand and immediately after the explosion we were very quickly in short supply. We just weren't use to handling the volume or type of injury. Dr Roberts sent me down to the Quartermaster to resupply.”

 

Octavia is listening intently now, grounder still, focusing on the story she was being told.

 

“I knew what he said, I understood..I said 'Yes sir I'll get it right now” and I ran all the way to the Quartermaster. But when I got there I couldn't remember one word he said. In the end I just did the best I could, I tried to get everything I thought they would need but I'd never even **seen** burns before.”

 

Clarke glances to her friend but she's quiet just watching her. Shrugging Clarke continued.

 

“I got back and just as I thought I didn't have a whole bunch of things they needed...including morphine. Dr Roberts was at his wits end with me and ordered one of the senior assistants to go back and put me on clean up duty.”

 

“Did anyone die because of it?” Asks Octavia her scrutiny still intense and Clarke is startled by the question.

 

“What? No. I don't know. I don't think so, I hope not...Two died before they reached Medical the third died later but he had burns to 80% of his body....so he probably would have died with or without the delay in supplies.”

 

Octavia nods “See? So you forgot it wasn't the end of the world”

 

“But....”

 

“How old were you?”

 

“What?” Again Clarke is caught off guard by her friends question.

 

“Well I just mean I remember Bell being like 18 maybe 19 at the time...so you must have been pretty young”

 

“Fourteen. I was fourteen”

 

“Jesus Clarke! What were you even doing there! You were just a kid! ”

 

She just gives a helpless shrug in response.

 

“The fact is I WASN'T suppose to be there emergencies weren't part of the Trainee Programe I just happened to be at the clinic that day and was anxious to help. My Mother wasn't happy either I'm pretty sure Dr Roberts is lucky to have a job...”

 

“ I'd say Good ol Doc Roberts is lucky to have all his parts let alone a job ! Mamma Bear Griffin is pretty scary when people mess with her cub””suddenly Octavia slaps her knee “...no wait wait I'm mixing my animal metaphors! What are baby Griffins called?”

 

Clarke smiles “Pretty sure we're cubs too...or we might chicks”

 

“Nah chick is waaaay too stoner lingo for you ...you're definitely a cub”

 

“Huh. And what would you know about stoner lingo Little Blake?...”

 

“When questioned? Nothing at all.” Is Octavia's smug response.

 

Clarke's mind turns back to the previous conversation and she blurts

 

“...She still wanted me in the Clinic! Even if she didn't want me there for the fire she still wanted me there!”

 

It comes out far angrier than she meant it too. Clarke can feel the small flame of anger unfurl and sit heavy in her gut as it always does when thinking of her Mom She can't help it, she doesn't want to still be mad but she is. She is still furious at her mother and the sad thing is she doesn't even really know exactly what for anymore.

 

“She probably just wanted the best for you. Trust me. Family does that.” Its clear Octavia is thinking on a specific event.“ Anyway didn't you wanna be a Doctor?” She asks after a moment

 

“No, No I did, I really did... I wanted to help people. It wasn't the being the Doctor that was the problem, it was the pressure that sucked. I'm the Chief Medical Officers daughter”

 

Octavia rolls her eyes

 

“Hey no I'm serious! There were expectations. How many Medical positions do you think were available on the Ark? How many Doctors do you think 2,500 odd people actually need? If you wanted to get a gig in Medical you needed to make damn sure you were the best.*Thats* why I was in that clinic at 14.”

 

Clarke went back to tugging on the loose thread. She shouldn't she was only going to make a hole.

 

“Kids of the current staff had all the advantage, we were automatically accepted into the Training Programe. What we did with that was up to us...but no one wanted to be THAT kid who had it handed to them and still couldn't make the cut.”

 

Octavia opens her mouth to respond but as she does Lincoln emerges out of the darkness with no less than three rabbits hang from a wire at his side.

 

“Hell yeah Bunny for the Belly!” Octavia crows exuberantly.

 

Clarke groans and slaps the girl next to her on the shoulder”

 

“God shutup! That was the worse line I've ever heard!...remember you're cooking tonight!”

 

“What!? Why!”

 

“ Its my Camp and Lincoln caught it...therefore you get to cook it!”

 

Clarke looks back up to Lincoln for confirmation. He's standing just inside of the light of the fire, rabbits now in one hand ready to pass on but he's watching the both of them with the smallest of smiles touching the corner of his mouth. For Lincoln it was the equivalent a full toothed grin.

 

He ducked his head stepping forward to pass the rabbits to Octavia.

 

“I am glad to see that you two have talked” Clarke couldn't be sure but she thought his smile got slightly bigger and it definitely turned into a smirk as he lent down to drop a kiss on Octavia's forehead while slyly depositing the rabbits in her lap.

 

“ and Clarke is right Hodnes, I believe it is your turn to cook” _Love_

 

“Lincoln!?” Squalked Octavia apparently displeased at having freshly skinned rabbits land in her lap.

 

“C'mon!? Seriously? You're suppose to be on my side!”

 

Clarke who was sure she'd never laugh again after the mountain couldn't help but chuckle at her friends antics.

 

“If you want to get them out of your lap while you prepare... I've dubbed that rock over there with bunny number one on it 'table rock' its relatively clean of sand...”

 

Octavia rose with a long suffering sigh.

 

“Clarke that's not a bunny over there that's the mutilated corpse of a slasher victim. Would one of you two branwoda please find me some water? All this heart felt yaking has made me thirsty...” _Fools_

 

With that she unceremoniously drops the rabbits onto table rock and goes in search of a suitable skewer.

 

Lincoln quirked and eyebrow at Clarke before turning to rummage in one of their packs presumably to look for the requested water.

 

Clarke stretches here legs and gets comfortable. Despite her 'apathy bubble being well and truly burst, the blonde finds she doesn't care. Right now she's getting as much warmth from her friends as the fire in front of her and after weeks out in the cold she welcomes the relief. So for now she'll savour it, savour it right up until the moment is shattered by whatever news her companions bring her.

 


	2. Polis & Honey Cakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I believe that generally great people are made... brilliant genes only gets you so far its got to be a combo of either circumstance or people :).Given this I think Lexa must have a pretty interesting back story. Something in her past made her choose to walk a different path to the previous Commanders choosing politics and forming coalitions over wars and in-fighting (even if she obviously had to crack a few skulls when necessary)...This is my take on what that was. :) 
> 
> Also let's assume while in Polis they are all talking Trigedasleng. I've dropped a few words in because in general I think its pretty darn neat but translating the whole kit and kaboodle would be far to laborious.
> 
> Don't worry its back to Clarke and Co next chapter and apologies for the amount introspection but I had to lay some ground work :)

 

She pulled the shawl closer around her face as she ducked and wove through the crowd. She'd not done this in many seasons now but the route and necessary subterfuge was so ingrained from her youth that the journey was almost instinctual.

 

She slowed her steps, deciding that she is in no real hurry to get to her destination and she takes this moment just to absorb the hustle and bustle of the market, of her people. She watches them, vendors loudly spruiking their wears, children shouting playing what looked like tag, civilians wearing colours not armour and clamouring to get the last of their chores done for the day. She takes a deep breath and feels some of the tension she carries in her neck and shoulders fall away. This is a reminder, this is proof that all the hard decisions of the past months were the right ones.

 

Her deep breath also allowed her to scent the air and the riot of delicious smells carried on it. Mostly it was the smell of Barbecuing meat but Lexa knew from past experience that mingling somewhere in there was the heavenly smell of Honey Cakes. Lexa loved Honey Cakes.

 

She scans the stalls until she finds it. The stall still has a place despite her absence of nearly three winters. She picks her way through the crowd towards it and notes that old Drew is still out the front just as she remembers. His voice by this time of the day is beginning to get hoarse and scratchy but the easy smile he wears on his creased face is still strong.

 

She hangs back as he sells to another customer stepping forward only after he's done.

 

“Hei Drew.. Tu of your finest Honey Cakes Beja” _Hi Drew two of your finest Honey Cakes please._

 

“Dria?? By the Gods it is you!” He hustles from behind his stall reaching her he takes her hands, clasping them between both of his worn ones.

 

“ Gada! _(girl)_ You make an Old Man go grey! When you stopped coming passed I thought for sure  Yu gonplei ste odon! _(Your fight is/was over)_ I had hoped of course, that you had been sent on assignment but with the  trikova _(shadow)_ of the  Maun-de _(Mount Weather)_ I couldn't help but fear the worst!”

 

Lexa is surprised and touched by his concern. She didn't think he would remember her let alone that he would take such note of her absence.

 

“Truly I am sorry to have caused you such concern Drew. I did not realise I would be so missed. Sha _(yes)_ I was ...reassigned” The fabrication comes easily.

 

“Not missed! One of my best customers up and disappearing? Nonsense! Never mind it now though I take that with the Fall of the Maun _(Mountain)_ you're back! Praise the Skai Prisa! _(Sky Princess)_ ” Here he makes the gesture of bumping his fist to his heart. Its a gesture of deep respect among her people, it was generally only used in reference to erself, Chiefs and dead War Heroes...and now Clarke it would seem. She returns the gesture, having no qualms in paying respect to Clarke while dressed as “Dria”

 

She'd noticed that her people called Clarke that now- Skai Prisa. She also knew through her own observation that the title was merely a name of affection for Clarke by her friends, that Clarke herself would never agree to such an _appellation_ and that in fact neither would the Skikru as a people. Perhaps one of her warriors overheard the jest and mistook it for fact. However it came about the name _Skai Prisa_ had grown a life of its own.

 

“I mean no disrespect to Heda of course! “ He continues “Heda was savvy enough to treat with the Skaikru in the first place when we all wanted their blood..Tu _(two)_ you said?” He potters back behind the counter holding up two fingers indicating the number she'd requested.

 

“Sha” _(yes)_

 

He stoops over to peer into a clay oven .

 

“Heda may her keryon _(s_ _oul)_ always go on” Another fist to heart and Lexa dutiful copies the gesture paying respect herself. “In her wisdom wasn't distracted from the maun _(mountain)_ by the Sky People's arrival like the rest of us was...If you can wait a moment you can have em' hot out of the oven otherwise there are these from the lunch time batch. Do you have time?”

 

“I have time mochof _(_ _thank you)_. They always taste better hot”

 

He gives a nod “No she weren't distracted one wick! and she brought us the Skai Prisa in the first place... but the she also didn't Fell no Mountain now either did she? ”

 

“No, she didn't”

 

“I mean no disrespect mind! I knows plenty who come back from the mountain or whose kin come back and you can't argue that....but it was bad business in end what we done to the Skaikru. Bad business. Some say they deserved it, that they owed us jus _(blood)_ but I still stay it was badly done, we gave our word . Aren't we of the ground in the business of the good gonplei(fight) an honour?

 

“Perhaps sometime bad business is just what it takes?”

 

Here he nods at her.

 

“Sha Goufa _(yes child)_ I' d say you are probably right, wise beyond your years you are..after all it might be a bad business but it brought you and our Kru _(people)_ home...People whisper is all”

 

He stoops and checks in the oven again.

 

“Just couple of tombom ( _heart)_ beats more I'd say!”

Lexa smiled at him. Yes people whispered. It had been three weeks now since the Fall of the Mountain and word of all that had transpired had spread like a wild fire. It had in fact beaten her back to Polis. She'd initially stayed a week and a half in TonDC seeing off the Gona and Clans. She'd been back at least a week now but she'd been absent long enough that upon her return there was enough duties to keep her busy untill now.

 

“There you go Dria! Tu of my finest!”

 

He passed here the cakes bundled up in a large leaf.

 

She fished into a pouch hidden under her jacket and pulled out some Knuts. Knuts were what the market used to trade. Overall the Trigedakru predominately used barter but here in the market it was easier to use Knuts especially for little things like a couple of honey cakes. She'd traded a spare dagger of hers earlier for a good 50 Knuts (a fair amount). The trick with Knuts was procuring the right amount as they were only used in the market.

 

Handing over three Knuts, Lexa bid Drew farewell.

 

Once the transaction was complete she continued on to her original destination. The Players Quarter. The City Grounds of Polis was divided into four Quarters – The Markets, the Commons, The Players & The Makers all circled by the wall. The four were by no means even quarters but they were four definitive districts.

 

The Players Quarter was the recreational quarter, home of the Tellers and Artisans, Taverns and Dancers and a few more things of ill-repute besides.

 

It was this that she had most wanted to show Clarke. Clarke who liked to draw, Clarke who had only seen the Clans in battle, never as they really were. War reduced them all to their most savage selves and Lexa had longed to show Clarke this tangible proof that they, that **she,** was more than a violent death. War had always been her peoples greatest burden (even if often they couldn't see it themselves) dogging them, making gentle hands that should carve wood, carve flesh, dulcet voices that should sing, cry battle chants, it turned creators to destroyers and it made Lexa's soul scream silently in her chest “we could be more”.

 

While war was war and ever present, there was always the quiet times between battles and it was in these times that they cultivated their Storytelling. Whether it was stories told around the fires of the field or the more polished ones back at the Quarter it didn't matter the Trigedakru loved a good story. They were hungry for tales of brave heroes, of strong leaders, of a brighter future. In fact Lexa felt safe in saying (if only quietly in her head) that her gruff and stoic people were all not-so-secret romantics. Their headlong rush for survival made them desperate for something other than death and good tale of love was its antithesis. In this she knew her people were a walking contradictions , hard in the face of war, soft to the idea of love (despite her personal view of it), blood thirsty romantics the lot of them.

 

It was no wonder then why the story of Clarke was such a hit. The Tellers had picked it up almost immediately upon first news of it reaching Polis. In Clarke they had a hero, a leader and brighter future all rolled into one. The girl who fell from the sky and wielded fire to save her people, who brought the dead back to life and who single handedly felled an entire mountain which oppressed them for generations.

 

All that was missing was the romance, though Lexa had no doubt that someone somewhere in the Quarter was probably doing a heart rending rendition of Clarke's Slaying of Finn.

 

She reached the two carved Totems that signified the gate to The Players quarter. The totems were two huge logs felled and donated by the Trikru, they had been turned on end, pointing to the sky their surfaces intricately carved.

 

Lexa hurriedly stuffed the rest of her Honey Cake into her mouth only to realise it was far to hot. Eyes watering she opened her mouth and huffed trying to cool it. The inelegance of it rankled but she reasoned that she was not Heda here in this moment and she definitely wasn't going to waste any precious Honey Cake.

 

As she moved through the Quarter she could here pipes and drums resonating down allies, the sound settling in her bones calling to her to move with it. She however had a goal in mind, she was after the Tellers. She'd come down here for two purposes. The first was to hear what the people were saying about her. To see how bad the “whispers” that Drew had mentioned were. Many thought she had acted dishonourably. She already knew she had some fast talking ahead of her to appease the coalition. After all if she would break her word in one alliance why not others? If her word was not to be trusted, then what precisely held coalition together? If she could break an alliance without repercussions why couldn't the Horse Lord or Luna of the Boat people. Her only hope here was to convince the Clans that either, a withdrawal was not precluded from the original agreement with the Skaikru or to convince them that the Skaikru held no status and that the alliance with them had been a farce from the beginning.

 

The second reason was personal.

 

Meeting Clarke had affected her. Clarke's words had affected her

 

 

“Maybe life should be about more than just surviving... Don't we deserve better than that?”

 

The words had rolled around in her head for the last three weeks not leaving her alone. Did she deserve better? She wasn't sure. There were times where she felt like perhaps she deserved every ounce of suffering piled upon her shoulders and yet and yet everything she did she did for her people. Not even her suffering was her own.

 

She was tired, so very tired and it was this in the end that decided it for her. If she was going to continue on for her people she would need something for herself. Whether she deserved it or not she would need more.

 

Not Clarke, she was certain that she was the one thing that was lost to her. But she had decided she would honour Clarke and try to take back a little of her life as Lexa not Heda. She would try living rather than just surviving.

 

She'd only really lost the last of herself after Costia. Her early years as Commander had been filled with friendship and camaraderie albeit restricted and more reserved than that of what she'd enjoyed before the spirit took her.

 

It was only after Costia that she had reforged herself into the weapon her people needed to carve peace out of the fractious clans. In order to do that, to be that, she required her armoured heart to have no weaknesses at all thus she'd severed off all the pieces of her life that could potentially bleed her soul.

 

As a consequence of that decision she'd not spoken to her Mother and foster siblings in nearly three winters nor had she seen any of what, up until that point, had been her closest friends. At the time it had been like cutting off an arm but over time it receded to the low ache of loneliness, easily ignored in favour of focusing on other things.

 

She'd been a child of twelve when the Guides thought she might have potential to hold the Commanders spirit. It was then that she moved from her Village (a few miles south of TonDC) to the capitol for Potential training. Once there she quickly fell in with another Potential, a girl name Kyra.

 

Kyra was from the Boat People and was lighting quick of wit with a sharp tongue. While the Trikru were predominately Gonas _(warriors)_ and Hunters, the Boat people were mostly Fisherman and Traders. Kyra showed her stripes early as a Merchants daughter quickly talking circles around their trainers. They made quite the team, Lexa as the muscle (she wasn't afraid to step in front for Kyra) and Kyra as the wit. It was Kyra who first taught Lexa the power of words so it was only fitting that it was also Kyra who first led her to the Tellers.

 

By that point they were fourteen winters and the excitement of Polis had well and truly worn off. Lexa enjoyed her potential studies but Kyra hated them, privately Lexa could see why, Kyra just wasn't much of a warrior. They were also bored. So one day when they had an afternoon off they snuck out of the barracks and made their way to the Players Quarter. Kyra had heard talk that there was a Teller House where it was an open floor to any who desire to tell a tale and that you could wear a mask....

 

While musing on her past Lexa had slowly meandered her way down a narrow yet well trafficked alleyway. The buildings here in the Players Quarter bracketed each other closely and unlike some places in Trigedakru territory the structures in Polis were sturdier well built with care. Finally she comes upon the entrance she had been looking for however now that she's reached it she finds herself hesitating. She never hesitates...and yet.

 

Here she stands out the front of the same Teller house as she had when she was just fourteen winters. The same House she'd not been to in three winters. The same House where seven winters ago she had first met Oren and in turn Oren's sister. Costia.

 


	3. Chapter 3. Solutions and Braids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh sorry for the slight delay ...being a grown-up is a buzzkill. Don't grow up. I repeat Do. Not. Grow-up! Its full of full-time work and chores!
> 
> Consequently this chapter (like most of my chapters actually) is just DONE not really done and edited with a fine tooth comb...so apologies for the errors.
> 
> There was also more to this chapter that I wanted to get finished...but then Octavia and Clarke got all emotional on my ass and now its divided into two chapters. (love those two)
> 
> Also because I'm figuring out locations as I go...some of my timings now don't match up...but shhh I won't tell if you don't! Help a sista out and just roll with it.
> 
> Stedakru = Horse people – Ste made from “Steed”(yes I know hosa = Rider but I feel there would be two different words)

 

 

Clarke watched the muscles in Lincoln''s back flex and ripple as he lifted Octavia down to the ledge below. He really was fit. Like REALLY fit. She tried not to blush when he turned to her, holding out a hand to indicating it was her turn.

 

Scrabbling forward she grabbed a hold of his hands and gingerly lowered her legs over the ledge. It wasn't long before he was lowering her down as far as he could reach, even then there was a fair drop to the earth below. She tried to land gently but there was a still an uncomfortable stingy up her ankles as the shock from the drop jarred her.

 

Once she was down Lincoln then swung himself down, somehow finding hand and foot holds in the seemingly sheer rock face that neither herself or Octavia could detect. When Clarke had originally come out this way she simply wended her way around such obstacles. Now speed was more important.

 

They were headed back to Camp Jaha.

 

The news her two friends brought was not totally unexpected but it was unwelcome. Camp Jaha and TonDC could not come to terms and Octavia feared it would once more come to war.

 

**Two Nights Ago.**

 

“ We need you to come back Clarke”

 

The three of them had finished eating and were now huddled around the fire. Scooched as close as they could sit and not be in the fire. The temperature had drop with the sun and it was freezing. Octavia and Lincoln sat huddled together for warmth on a re-purposed log, while Clarke had her sleeping bag thrown over her shoulders to block the night chill on her back.

 

“Octavia...” Clarke said with reluctance already colouring her voice.

 

“No just shuddup and listen a minute you know I wouldn't ask if I didn't have too” she huffed “ I hate to say it but its all going to shit without you...”

 

Here Lincoln spoke up.

 

“The Skaikru are having trouble negotiating with the Trigedakru...”

 

“Imagine that” Clarke said darkly.

 

“ Yeah imagine that! Except we don't need to we've got front row seats! They don't seem to be getting just how bad an idea it is if we all can't agree!!” Octavia says throwing a stray twig into the fire in exasperation.

 

“They are angry, they're spoiling for a war even if they know it is ill advised. It's making them reluctant at the negotiation table “ responds her partner.

 

Octavia shook her head in response “Yeah well we're all angry aren't we?? But you don't cut off your nose to spite your face. They're being stupid”

 

Clarke almost laughed at the expression on Lincoln's face at Octavia's turn of phrase. Apparently Lincoln's education on Arker idioms was an on going thing because the girl in question just waved him off in an “I'll explain later” gesture.

 

Clarke lent forward pensively holding her hands palm out to the fire to warm them.

 

“Surely my Mom and Kane can't seriously be considering war...”

 

The brunette shrugged again and mimicked Clarke's palms to the fire pose “Probably not intentionally but like Lincoln says they're angry and I don't think its completely off the table either.” She looks up from the flames “Clarke they weren't here when we fought the Grounders remember? They don't know what they are in for or how badass Trikru Gonas are...” and now there is a definite hint of pride in her voice.

 

Clarke was still baffled.

 

“But they've SEEN the commanders army they can't possibly believe they can beat it? What are the terms? Why would they rather fight that than compromise?”

 

“The Commander's not there. The armies of the other Clans have left. Its just Trikru now.” Octavia said bluntly.

 

Now that threw Clarke. Lexa wasn't there, Lexa was gone.

 

“What? Why? Why would she leave?”

 

“ With the threat of the mountain gone and with an armistice in place with the Skaikru. The Commander returned to Polis.” Replied Lincoln

 

Clarke sat back absorbing this information while the wind howled mournfully in the back ground, tearing through the tree tops and whipping at the parachute sheltering them.

 

“ Then I'm confused who are we negotiating with...”

 

“Indra.” Octavia said with an inscrutable expression on her face.

 

“She's Chief of TonDC and now with Anya gone, General of the Northern Edge of Trikru Territory. The Ark landed on her turf. The Commander conceded the Mountain to the Skaikru as the spoils of war but the Ark itself is still on North Edge land.” Clarke nods

 

“The Skaikru need to cede to Indra as General or move completely to the mountain.”

 

Clarke furrowed her brow “What does that mean exactly?”

 

Its Lincoln who answers “ The Woods Clan has many villages each with a Chief. The Chief answers to the General of the Territory and the General answers to the Commander. There are Three Territories of the Trigedakru- North Edge, Middling & Southern Gate”

 

“With the fall of Anya, Indra has become General of North Edge. As the Ark lies on North Edge Land she expects the Skaikru to either leave her land or become a Trikru village under her purview.

 

Clarke adjusted the sleeping bag around her shoulders as she thinks about what she is being told. There is one thing her mind won't move past and its childish and not really the point but...

 

“ I can't believe Lexa would just walk away with all this still up in the air...” it frustrates her. If she's going to be dragged back into this mess why should Lexa get to walk away?

 

Lincoln makes a face Clarke can't quite decipher before stating “Clarke you are far to familiar with Heda” Clarke raises her eyebrows. That was not what she expected him to say. Next to him Octavia smirks and her voice takes on a slight singsongy lilt that signals that the girl expects to get good mileage on this particular tease.

 

“ Yah Claarke no wonder there are storieeees”

 

Clarke snaps her gaze form Lincoln “Wait there are stories?”

 

Now the brunette is grinning like the cat who got the cream.

 

“Yup” She pops the 'p' in yup. Clarke narrows her eyes at the girl who just smirks back at her

 

“You are The Vanquisher Of the Mountain Clarke. The Mountain held the Trigedakru in fear for generations. You are a Hero to the Trikru. Its only natural that they tell tales of your exploits” Lincoln, bless him seems to be trying to reassure her of the benign nature of these “stories” To bad his girlfriend has other ideas.

 

Oh yeah tales of your “exploits”... Like the one where you and **Lexa”** Here she places an obscene amount of emphasis on Lexa's given name. “.. did more in that war tent than make battle plans” Octavia waggles her eyebrows.

 

Clarke's eye widen and she nearly chokes on her own tongue

 

“W-What?!” Clarke is so shocked she can't get more than that out, which is probably a good thing because she's pretty sure any words out of her mouth at this point would be incriminating. It was ONE kiss! (One really good kiss) but still it was ONE KISS! How are there stories? She casts her mind back trying to think if anyone could have caught them.

 

“Yup... Apparently that's the way the Commander swings and what with you swanning about in her personal tent and being on a first name basis and all...those big tough Gonas drew all sorts of salacious conclusions” Octavia is clearly enjoying every moment of her friends embarrassment.

 

“It is not a bad thing Clarke. There is a lot of honour in being Heda's lover” Offers Lincoln , still it seems, trying to be helpful.

 

Clarke makes a strangled noise and she's can tell she's blushing to the tips of her ears. She drops her her hot face into her hands with a groan.

 

“Just stop , just stop helping...and YOU just stop making it worse!” she points at the braided brunette who now cackling into her partners side.

 

“Can we just focus? I still find it hard to believe that the COMMANDER would leave when there is the potential for war.”

 

Octavia makes a show of wiping a tear from her eye “To be fair I think she thought it was resolved. In the week following the fall of the Mountain Kane negotiated really hard for it. Heda had originally ordered it sealed. Kane argued fiercely that we should keep the mountain. I think from that she thought she was solving the problem that the Skaikru wanted to live in the Mountain we'd settle there and Indra wouldn't have any infringement on her territory...”

 

“But we want more than the mountain? We need the Ark.” Muses Clarke.

 

“Screw the Ark! Its about the land Clarke!. I won't live in another fucking box! I lived **sixteen** years under the floor I'm not fucking living the rest of them under a mountain”

 

After a year in solitary, a year in a cage. Clarke gets it. Now that she's felt the wind on her face and the rain in her hair she can't imagine going back to being trapped between four walls

 

“ Don't worry neither will I O” Clarke reassures. “We'll take The 100 and go if we have too..”

 

Lincoln drops a large arm over the girls shoulder and kisses her temple “Don't worry Hodnes...I'll not let them cage you ever again either”

 

The dark haired warrior sighs into the crook of Lincoln's neck before turning to face Clarke across the fire again “It's not the100 any more...can't be when there isn't 100 of us” she says quietly “ The Trikru call us the First Fall....”

 

Clarke drops her gaze to the fire watching it bob and flicker.

 

“Yeah, only 39 of us left after the mountain. First Fall huh? It suits I guess.” she murmurers

 

Octavia is studying the flames now too, mouth turned down in a hard frown.

 

“We're like a different people to them, the Arkers they don't get it. They don't want to...” She snorts “Mebbie we should divide Skaikru into territories like the Trigedakru do. First Fall in one territory lead by you and the Arkers another lead by your Mom. I don't want to have to deal with their shit...you'd be Skaiheda of course”

 

“Of course” Clarke replies sarcastically “ All of which doesn't solve the current problem. You mentioned Kane negotiating for the Mountain...Where is my mother in all this?”

 

“The first week she was pretty much out of it recovering from the Mountain”

 

Clarke's eyes shoot up to find Octavia's, a surge of fear thundering through her veins. Seeing her expression the brunette hurries to reassure her.

 

“But she recovered!! She totally recovered...and she's still technically the Chancellor she's been present in this latest round of talks, though I kinda think they'd be more successful if she wasn't. Octavia comments dryly

 

Now that she knows her mother is alright Clarke's mind goes back to solving problem at hand.

 

“And she's with Kane on this?”

 

“She is” Lincoln confirms “They both pin their hopes on the Mountain”

 

“Raven says that Abby says that the Arkers like the idea of the mountain. That its like what they are use too. That we'll be safe from the “Grounders” here Octavia makes quote marks with her fingers “They are only really negotiating because they want what's at Jaha. They won't EVER cede to the Trigedakru and they think they can fight them off with guns and if it comes to it... retreat to the mountain.” The brunette is clearly frustrated after laying out how things stand back at camp. “But we can't let them do that Clarke its just exchanging prison for another!”

 

“ Alright what does it mean if we cede to Indra then?”

 

Lincoln shrugs “ You would no longer be Skaikru you would be Trikru and you would follow their rules and her lead...You would be 'Splitakru' though outcasts, a conquered people, in times gone by you would be branded as such, but we've progressed since then and I don't believe Indra would insist on such marks”

 

Clarke just stares at Lincoln in disbelief.

 

“But I just said! Its not even on the table for your Mom or Kane...” Octavia cuts in in frustration.

 

“Yah O, I'm just trying to figure out if it SHOULD be” Clarke worries her thumb nail with her teeth. “Why is Indra insisting on this? Is there any possibility she'd let us stay on North Edge land without ceding? Could we trade?”

 

Lincoln looks offended “Why should she? She should just give up land? Fertile land is precious. Wars are fought over land, to concede land is a sign of great surrender. In fact she honours Skaikru by offering them a place in her Territory!”

 

Its as intense as she's ever heard Lincoln speak so she hurries to reassure him.

 

“Easy Lincoln...I'm not saying she should. I just needed to know where she stands. I'm just working through it. ”

 

“Its not just that Clarke, there are rumours that the Coalition will fail. The Clan Heda are nervous after The Commanders “withdrawal”. The other side of Triku land is bracketed by the Stedakru. Indra can't appear weak, if the Horse people think Indra is letting go of land, that she can't hold it, they might try and take the opportunity for a land grab.”

 

The brunette runs a hand through her hair.

 

“Fact is Linc and I spoke to Indra”

 

This makes Clarke's eyebrows shoot to her hairline

 

“and?”

 

“I know you thinks she's ruthless and a warmonger..” Clarke opens her mouth to comment but Octavia continues “ but she's not really like that! She's not. She's just like everyone round here at the moment. Angry. When we were attacked at the drop ship by Anya and Tristan that was the combined forces of North Edge and Middling...but the majority of warriors were from North Edge, villages like TonDC. So first she loses her warriors, then Fin loses his mind and kills another eighteen of her people! Then the missile. She has lost to many people to the Skaikru for her to just move past it...but she's trying because she knows its the right thing. S'why she' offered to let us cede she COULD have just run us off her land”

 

Clarke contemplates what Octavia is saying and wonders whether if the Mountain had survived and had come to her saying that it was all just one big misunderstanding and that they wanted to live in her backyard whether she would be so magnanimous.

 

In the end it doesn't matter because she'd killed them. Every single one. She feels the usual ache in her heart when she thinks on it.

 

Octavia continues

 

“...So she doesn't want war, to many Youngons have died, but she's got no choice with the Stedakru breathing down her neck. Strength is everything. I think, I think if we can give her an alternative she'll take it...but we're not giving her ANYTHING!”

 

Clarke mulls it over still not seeing a solution. Still not seeing a compromise that would get them out of this if it was all about holding territory.

 

“You said Le-The Commander granted us the Mountain as 'the spoils of war' what does that mean exactly” She directs the comment to Lincoln. “Like literally 'the mountain' could we potentially trade some of the mountain for some outside land?”

 

The stoic man shrugged and nodded with a wry smile “Yes”like literally” the Mountain. That is the way it has always worked since the Cataclysm. You fight battles to acquire what your opponents have. By our traditions you defeated mountain therefore by rites all the mountain held is yours now. But what would General Indra want with any of the mountain? Its a cursed place”

 

“I don't know. Storage? There are well seal rooms ....”Clarke grasped at straws and she could see by the others faces that they were as unconvinced as she was.

 

“ Why if this is tradition did Kane have to argue for it?” The last thing she wanted was for them to come up with a solution only to have it taken away.

 

“It was because of the weapons. The Commander didn't want us controlling the Gas and Missiles. We agree to show proof of their destruction and she conceded that by rights the mountain was ours...and you KNOW The Arkers will never go for a trade of part of the mountain Clarke. They want the Mountain as a stronghold and that's hardly gunna work if you invite them in” The brunette points out impatiently

 

They all lapsed into silence. All that could be heard was the gentle crackle pop of the fire and the howling of the wind.

 

Clarke's gaze on the fire was unwavering as she thought on the information she'd been told. The conflict was about not giving up land. All the mountain held was now theirs but they didn't have the missiles or gas as a defence....

 

Gas...

 

Suddenly she stood up startling the other two.

 

“We now hold all that the mountain held! Like literally all that the Mountain HELD.”

 

The other two were looking at her like she'd grown a second head. Lincoln frown.

 

“Yes, Clarke. We already agreed on this but we it is unlikely that either Indra or the Arkers will want to trade any of the mountain.”

 

“No no not literally the mountain but what the Mountain Men HELD...that means any land the Mountain controlled is ours! The land controlled by the gas was NEVER North Edge it was always unsettle-able because the Mountain controlled it with the Gas. By this agreement that land is ours now!

 

Clarke was pacing now as she thought out loud as she finished looking to her friends with a triumphant grin.

 

**Now**

 

They'd started the long march back to camp the next day. Clarke hadn't realised quite how far she'd wandered in her self inflicted purgatory. Apparently it was far enough that even taking the direct route they were several days out but Lincoln thought they should make camp late the next day. Despite her apprehension about returning Clarke was relieved, she'd been on the cusp of starving the majority of her exile and now she found herself weak and struggling to keep up with the pace set by her physically fit friends.

 

They were walking a tight trail Lincoln up front leading the way Clarke in the middle and Octavia bring up the rear. Clarke tripped for the about the fiftieth time that day and Octavia, with the reflexes of a cat, caught the blonde by the back of her jacket preventing her from the impending face plant.

 

“Lift your clunky Skaikru feet up Clarke” The tone was terse but Clarke could hear the worry underneath and feel the younger girls eye on her back.

 

“I'm fine O”

 

“Never said you weren't. Hod op Linkon! Osir beda hon op wada o set raun” _We should find water or rest/ stand in place_

 

“Octavia...”

 

Lincoln looked back at the two of them before nodding

 

“Sha, There is a creek up further it would be a good place to rest we could have sanch...”

 

It was said in English and Clarke suspected it was for her benefit she huffed as they started up again though she was secretly grateful. She really was exhausted. It was only her new found concern for what was going on back at Camp that was pushing her on.

 

“I said I was fine! And I don't know why everyone assumes you're the only one who can speak the sleng. I spent a hell of a lot of time in camp surrounded by people speaking nothing but that for weeks....” Clarke continues to grumble

 

“You can speak trigedasleng? Awww man! Now how am I gonna bitch about you behind your back?”

 

“Probably the way you usually do – when its turned” The two girls shared a grin “Sides I wouldn't say I speak it. I know words. Like I picked up water and rest just now and then guessed the rest. ”

 

“Hmm its not hard to pick up once you start really listening...it comes from English.”

 

“Yeah”

 

Clarke tripped twice more before they reached the creek. Once there they sat down and divvied up the now meagre remains of the rabbits.

 

“We've made good time, cutting through The Steps helped. We'll reach Camp fairly early on in the morning..” Commented Lincoln

 

“How early? If its that short of a distance surely we could keep going and get there tonight?”

 

Lincoln and Octavia shared a look.

 

“Travelling at night is dangerous.” Said Lincoln finally

 

“ But...”

 

“Look Clarke you can barely keep your feet now! How do you think you'd go in the dark?” The brunette said matter of factly.

 

“One night won't make much difference even if we arrived in the night you'd still have to wait till the morning to speak with everyone...better to camp one more night and get there mid morning.”

 

Clarke grudgingly admitted they were right. It was just that now she knew there was trouble she had this overwhelming nagging feeling that she'd arrive too late. That everything she'd sacrificed for would be undone.

 

'Yeah alright...”

 

The duo sighed in relief.

 

“I saw some Yam Roots down the trail a little way. While you two rest I'll go collect some for dinner.” Said Lincoln and just like that he was disappearing into the forest like morning mist evaporating in the sun.

 

“Stop checkin out my Boyfriend Griffin”

 

“I wasn't!...”

 

“You totally were..”

 

Clarke doesn't dignify the conversation with any further responses. She watches the other girl pokes at the ground with a stick her face shifting progressively from playful to solemn to grumpy.

 

“What's on your mind O”

 

“Nothin'

 

“I thought you said nobody likes a liar”

 

“Fuck off Clarke”

 

Clarke narrows her eye at the harsh response

 

“ Are you still mad at me?”

 

“No”

 

They sit in silence for exactly three of Clarke's heart beats before Octavia cuts her gaze to the side and says

 

“Yes”

 

Clarke waits.

 

“I mean I'm not mad at you about the missile any more, well I am, but not really. I get that...I'm just pissed you had to leave in the first place! I'm just so damn tired of everything being on the edge of turning to shit. All.The.Damn.Time. This whole thing coulda been avoided if you'd just stayed”

 

Clarke had had enough.

 

“You know what? That's unfair and you know it! So sorry if me trying to get over committing genocide has inconvenienced you! I left you all safe! I left you with enough smart people in charged that I ASSUMED someone else could make the shitty choices for once!”

 

The brunette already looks like she regrets speaking her mind “Look Clarke I didn't mean...”

 

But now Clarke was angry too Octavia wasn't the only one who'd bottled a few unresolved issues over the course of their time in battle and apart.

 

“YES you did! You meant every word. You want me to be perfect! To never screw up to always solve the problem, to make the hard choice over and over well you know what? I can't I just can't. I needed TIME O to put myself back together because after the mountain I feel like I'm slowly suffocating.

 

The dark haired girl looks an odd mix of contrite and sulky

 

“Bell told me... told me that he pulled the lever with you and HE stayed. You just left him there to look after us all. You coulda stayed too. We could have all gotten over it together...” There is that odd “lost girl” tone to her voice again but Clarke is beyond sympathy at this point.

 

Clarke scoffs “You don't know anything! So he put his hand on mine, so what! Do you really think Bellamy would ever come up with an idea like that on his own? Would have ever suggested it? You said it yourself after TonDC “Bellamy woulda never done that” Congratulation Octavia you do know your brother because you're right he wouldn't have” Clarke is breathing heavy as she almost shouts at Octavia. Clarke calms herself a bit before continuing.

 

“In the end, in the mountain he agreed with me, supported my choice and I will always be grateful for that support so grateful for him sharing the weight of it with me, but it was MY choice to irradiate the mountain. It was my choice to kill them all.

 

Saying it out loud like that hit Clarke hard and she suddenly felt ill. In her head all she could see were the tiny burnt faces of children. Stumbling a few steps away she takes some deep breathes but its not enough and abruptly she's throwing up the rabbit she's just eaten.

 

She continues to retch even after she's emptied her stomach. When she's done she stands there trembling and then suddenly there is a hand rubbing her back and guiding her gently back to sit on a log.

 

“I'm sorry Clarke ok?, I'm an asshole. A huge asshole “ Says Octavia as she continues to pat Clarke like she's a giant cat. Rubbing her back and running her hands through her hair.

 

“Here rinse with this” A water flask is put in front of her face “...there's heaps of wild mint all along these parts I'll try and find you some when we get moving”

 

Clarke feels to tired to respond.

 

Suddenly worried hazel eyes are in her field of vision.

 

“You know you made the right choice though right? It was us or them and you did what you do best. You looked out for all of us....” here she lets out a gusty sigh

 

“I'm just a spoilt shit ya know? I was being childish, I..I just wanted you with us because yeah you're right I wanted you to make all the bad go away. But that's selfish I should take more responsibility, backed you up more. We've got to stick together down here. I'm an asshole if I expect you to be the leader but don't stand by you...I'll do better promise...”

 

The hazel eyes in front of her search Clarke's earnestly.

 

Clarke just blinks at the girl in front of her be for sighing and leaning forward to rest her head on the shoulder in front of her.

 

“S'ok we'll all try and do better...and maybe when there is peace it'll stop being so damn hard ”

 

Octavia makes a gruff noise of agreement before glancing down at Clarke's prone form.

“Shit Clarke, You totally needed to keep that rabbit down you really need a good meal. You look like hell”

 

“What did I tell you about your dirty flattery...” She mumbles against the warriors neck and the girl she's leaning on snorts and continues to run a hand through Clarke's hair

 

“Lemme braid your hair? Only Goufa don't have braids...”

 

With one last sigh Clarke pulls her head off Octavia's shoulder and squints at her.

 

“What about Indra? She doesn't have braids”

 

“Uh Lady has a tattoo on her FACE Clarke pretty sure nobody's going to be questioning her status any time soon...sides she has a tiny one at the back”

 

Clarke studies her friend for a few more beats before shrugging “ “Have at it then..” and plopping down to sit cross legged in front of the log. Octavia takes her vacated place on the log behind and starts combing her fingers methodically through her hair.

 

 


	4. Confrontations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KK so its like Midnight (how does this always happens?!) Once again apologies for the errors.

By the time Lincoln returned Clarke’s hair was neatly braided. Octavia had kept Clarke’s usual style but swapped the twists Clarke normally used for braids. She’d then added a couple of fine braids to the back but over all, left Clarke’s style as it was. Clarke for her part found the whole process soothing and nearly fell asleep as Octavia worked.

 

They continued on for a few more hours as planned before stopping for the night. They set out again at first light hoping to make Camp Jaha by mid morning.

 

As they emerged from the forest leading to camp Jaha they could immediately tell something was wrong. The gates were open and there was a crowd gathered in front of the Ark. Clarke exchanged worried glances with her companions before hastening her steps towards the large crowd.

 

“Can you see what’s going on?” She asked urgently as she trotted up the newly cleared path leading to the entrance of Camp.

 

“Not really but there are definitely Trikru there…” replied Octavia

 

Looking again Clarke could see the girl was right. There was undoubtedly a group of armoured Trikru in the centre of the mob. Now this close she could hear shouting and as she watched suddenly the guards smattered about the crowd raised and cocked their weapons.

 

The trio broke into a sprint shouting as they went.

 

“Stand down! Wait! Hod op!!”

 

The crowd, hearing their approach turned somewhat to check out this new drama coming at them from behind. Octavia and Lincoln shared a look before pulling in front of Clarke and using their bodies to physically shoulder a way through, clearing a path for her.

 

Clarke was subconsciously grateful for her friends maneuver but her focus was now on the group of people she could see in the middle of the crowd.

 

There stood Indra, chin up, sword drawn and behind her stood twelve of her Gonas. She was facing off with her Mother, Kane and another man Clarke only vaguely recognised from the council before the fall of the Ark. Off to the side stood Bellamy, Raven and Monroe but around the group armed Guards stood with guns pointed at the Triku while the civilians of the Ark crowded about the outside the circle.

 

Clarke flanked by Octavia and Lincoln broke through the crowd only to find that the people in the centre of the conflict barely acknowledged her presence.

 

Indra was glaring at Marcus sword leveled despite the reasonable distance between them. She spared one glance in Clarke’s direction her expression impassive, before returning her laser like focus to the man in front of her.

 

“Me and Mine will be leaving this place Marcus kom Skaikru after which we will be done with the Skaikru.”

 

“With all due respect Indra, you’ve all but declare war on us. Why would we let you leave only to have you gather reinforcements and attack us later. Drop your weapons, none of us needs to get hurt here.”

 

Clarke took another step forward staring at the two incredulously

 

“Seriously? I leave for three damn weeks and this is what happens?. Here is an idea why don’t you ALL drop your weapons and we talk about this like reasonable adults!

 

“Clarke!” Somehow her Mom managed to convey all the relief she was feeling into one heavily laden exhalation of her name. Abby took a step forward but she was on the other side of the invisible lines drawn between Trikru and council, so she settle for scanning Clarke from head to toe with a watery gaze.

 

Clarke as it turned out, had emerged from the crowd almost in the middle of the two groups which suited her fine she took another step between the opposing parties.

 

“Clarke this doesn’t involve you, you don’t understand what’s going on. You need to step aside and trust that we know what we’re doing.” said replied Marcus.

 

Indra snorted “You know nothing of what you are doing, the time for talking has well and truly passed Clarke kom Skaikru. You will let us leave Marcus kom Skaikru.  We came here to parlay in good faith. You must let us leave or be known as Oathbreakers”

 

The man who Clarke didn’t recognise took an aggressive step forward.

 

“Thats rich coming from the *original* Oathbreakers!!” he sneered.

 

Behind her she felt the Trikru bristle and the surrounding crowd heave with something dark and ugly. Clarke looked desperately between the two groups it was clear they were beyond listening beyond reason, things were on the cusp of unrestrained violence. She knew from a glance that anything she said would fall on deaf ears. She cast her gaze to Bellamy, he caught her eye tipped his head at her as if to say he’d follow her lead. She felt a rush of warmth for her friend as he dropped his rifle to an ‘at ease’ position and besides him Monroe followed suit. But the crowd was still on a knife edge and Clarke had no idea how to diffuse the situation. She was confident she had a strong case for peace, a mutual deal that benefited everyone but that didn’t matter if she couldn’t get the message to the people who mattered before it all exploded in all their faces.

 

As it happened fate intervened.

 

The councilor she didn’t recognise continued to mouth off about the Trikru’s betrayal at the Mountain. The Trikru themselves became increasingly restless at the verbal tirade. One lifted his sword higher his blade catching the morning sun, reflecting it right into the eyes of one of the Ark Guard. Clarke didn’t see the grounder raise his sword but she *did* happened to be looking right at the guard in question when the shaft of light from the sword hit him square in the face. She’d already noted, in an attempt to predict how this was going to play out, that he was tracking Indra’s movements. She was also looking right at him as he began to raise his weapon with an intent in response. He’s going to fire she thought. In hindsight she wasn’t sure what made her do it. Perhaps she was confident that the guard would never willingly fire on one of their own, that she could be an Ark-born shield. Perhaps at this point she weighed peace far more than personal safety. Whatever the reason she didn’t actually think in the micro second she saw the guard raise and level off his weapon she simply stepped in front of Indra and shouted “NO”.

 

The crack of the gunshot was deafening as it reverberated off the metal sides of the Ark.

 

The bullet slammed into her, spinning her around, dropping her to ground. Hard. Fortunately the step she had taken hadn’t put her fully in front of Indra and the bullet only caught her in the shoulder.

 

Surprisingly nobody moved as the sound of the shot echoed into silence. Probably confused as to what the correct response WAS. The Skaikru had shot one of their own. Should the Trikru attack in retaliation for that? Should the Arkers attack the Trikru who hadn’t actually done anything?

 

For Clarke the internal worry about the crowd’s response was almost as bad as the wound itself. She could feel it burning like someone had threaded a hot wire through her shoulder but seeing she could feel her fingers,  the med student in her assessed that unless it’d struck and artery, it probably wasn’t that bad.

 

She sprang to her feet and regretted it when her head spun.

 

Once upright and confident that she was going to stay that way, she glared at the crowd, which was beginning to make the first rumblings of response and waved off her frantically approaching mother. She was so sick and tired of all this. She was tired, hurt and hungry and she was fast losing patience with people who didn’t seem to want to help themselves.

 

“ENOUGH! ...PLENI!” She roared to both groups.

 

Silence descended and everyone stilled their movements, looking to her.

 

“SIT”

 

The crowd glanced at each other hesitantly.

 

“You heard me drop your weapons and SIT THE HELL DOWN” Clarke wasn’t entirely sure what she was driving at here but she wanted to calm the situation down. She wanted everyone to hear what she said and she wanted to be able to see everyone. A crowd sitting around like school kids in assembly seemed a lots less threatening and dangerous than a mob with their feet under them.

 

Once again it was Bellamy and the 100 (or First Fall as they were now known) who had her back. She saw Monroe sink to the ground while Bellamy called.

 

“Right you lot you heard the Princess hit the deck NOW”

 

And just like that she saw the delinquents of First Fall drop to the ground crossing their legs looking at her expectantly. Obviously not the whole 37 survivors were in the crowd but enough were that it had the desired effect and when Sergeant Miller mirrored his son the rest of the surrounding mob followed suit.

 

Clarke looked at the grounders who had by now, at the very least lowered their weapons.

“I meant EVERYONE. Sit. Down” she levelled at them.

 

Indra was as inscrutable as ever but her eyes searched Clarkes face.

 

“Slip Daun Nau” she said finally and with her permission the warriors dropped to the floor tucking their feet under there knees.

 

Octavia suddenly appeared at her side carrying a crate that normally double as a chair from the common area behind them. Clarke smiled at her gratefully before tilting her head to indicate Indra needed one as well. Octavia nodded and quickly went to retrieve one..

 

While Octavia sorting out seating, her mother was suddenly at her side. Clarke expected her to try and stop her, to fuss and to make a big deal. However all Abby did was firmly press a field dressing to the still bleeding wound in Clarke’s shoulder before binding it roughly. Clarke was surprised at how much this upset her. Desperately Clarke grabbed her Mom’s elbow as she went to leave. Abby turned and stared at her daughter, all the emotion she was not expressing was in her eyes and at Clarke’s silent plea she quickly ducked in for a hug and whispered “I missed you. I trust you” before hastily backing off as quickly as she’d come. If asked Clarke would not have been able to say how much that small exchange bolstered her courage for what was to come.

 

Octavia placed a crate in front of Indra who sat herself upon it like it was Lexa’s throne. It was just as Clarke was about to do likewise on the crate directly opposite that council chose to pipe up.

 

“What do you think you’re doing!” Spluttered the councilor that Clarke didn’t know but had nickname Rodney in her head because it alliterated well with Rat. Not only did she suspect he was one in a metaphoric sense but he shared the unfortunate beady eyed features of one. Clarke turned to adress him feeling her shoulder burn and pull at the motion.

 

“What I’ve always done councilor I’m trying to find a solution for my people that doesn’t end up with us at war” she said as calmly as she could manage given the circumstances.

 

“You have not authority here!” he huffed beady eyes darting around the crowd looking for support.

 

Clarke narrowed her eyes at him. “Does it really matter whether or not I do?”

 

“Of course it matters!! You aren’t on the council and you certainly are NOT the Chancellor”

 

“I just don’t see what that has got to do with it? I’m here now offering a solution so that we can all live in peace. Are you really going to stand in the way of that because I am not following protocol? Frankly Councilor You’ve had your chance. No sit down or leave.” Clarke knew she was running a risk being so abrupt but she was running out of patience and time.

 

The man went red and open his mouth to argue but Marcus Kane beat him to it.

 

“Jacob what’s the harm? At this point the situation cannot be made worse let us listen to what Clarke has to say.” With that he turned to Clarke. “However as Chancellor I expect to be part of discussions going forward”

 

Clarke raised an eyebrow and cast her gaze across to her mother, noting for the first time the absence of the pin that signified her as Chancellor. Things must have changed while Octavia and Lincoln were away looking for her. Clarke was feeling light headed and anxious. She worried that the council would take control of the situation. It was Indra who came to her rescue.

 

“I have dealt with you people for weeks. I sit here now only for Clarke kom Skaikru…If any of you interfere I shall take my warriors and go”

 

Clarke hurried to reassure her, she’d only just got everyone to the table (or the floor as the case may be) It had only taken a bullet to the shoulder to make happen and she sure as hell wasn’t letting anyone one leave till this mess was sorted.

 

“No they won’t interfere,  Let’s get this over with. Marcus pull up a crate but try not to interrupt me until I’m finished”

 

With that Clarke turned her back on the council, sitting on her crate with as much composure as she could. She cast her gaze out to the sea of faces, of her people and Indra’s sitting cross legged on the ground around them. The situation wasn’t ideal but she’d make it work, she had to make it work. determinedly she turned her eyes to Indra.


	5. Deals & Blue Foxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me actually updating. So I should mention this is my first story and writing usually isn’t my bag (I’m more into painting if I’m gonna get creative-y) So any feedback is much appreciated :) I’ve already come to realise that uh forward thinking/planning a story is waaay harder than it seems...Yeah *On* that note - I like Anya. So just in case I want to play with her later I’ve decided that she’s in a coma rather than dead because this is fanfiction and I can do that mwhahaha. 
> 
> Also Indra? I like the cut of her jib.
> 
> This chapter has both Clarke AND Lexa...they just aren’t in the same place. Yet. YET we're getting there I promise...Enjoy.

It was a week later but Lexa was back. The first time she’d come to the Teller’s Round House she had not greeted her estranged friends as planned, instead she’d lurked in the shadows. She told herself it was because she was scouting, getting the lay of the land.  A good Commander always assesses situations properly before engaging.

 

But perhaps she was a coward.

 

Regardless she was back now and such failings would be rectified. It had only taken her so long to return because the business of being The Commander demanded her attention. Shortly after her failed mission to the Players Quarter a messenger had arrived from Indra. It stated that Indra thought it less and less likely that she and the Skaikru could come to terms, that the Skaikru would not leave her land willingly and therefore she was preparing to take military action to removed them from North Edge by force. The messenger also  informed her that the Skaikru were currently lead by Marcus Kane and that Clarke kom Skaikru had still not been seen.

 

The timing of this was poor. Lexa was due to meet with other heads of Clans in a weeks time. The Coalition usually met at the turning of each season - the Seasonal Session. However it was agreed upon that after the fall of the Mountain there would be a smaller interim Clan Council held. This smaller meeting would be held in four weeks from the time of the Fall, allowing the dust to settle and enabling all warriors to get back to their respective Clans and homes. Its purpose would be to assess the state of the Trigedakru nation and decide on how the coalition would move forward

 

She HAD intended to lobby at this meeting that the alliance with the Skaikru remain. She was in the untenable position currently of having to justify her decision on the mountain. Lexa’s initial strategy was to argue that a withdrawal had always been within the bounds of the original agreement. That the preface of the alliance had always been “to the benefit of their people” and if an action was to contradict this precept then either party was within their rights withdraw.  There would be no Skaikru present to contradict her so she need only convince the other clans that this was the case. She had intended to use the continued peace with the Skaikru as proof, after all “Jus drein jus daun” (blood must have blood) if she really had broken her word surely the Skaikru would have been out for retribution?

 

In light of the news by Indra this plan obviously would no longer work. How could it? If the Trikru were in fact at war with Skaikru? Her only other option would be to argue that the alliance was a sham from the start. It did not sit comfortably with her but what choice did she have? she could not be seen as an Oathbreaker, the stability of the Coalition depended on her word. The word of each Clan Leader was all that held the peace in place, if she, the Head of the Coalition could break her word then what faith did any have that peace would remain when push came to shove?

 

Though her head told her this was the right course of action, her heart bled, this decision would cement her betrayal of Clarke, undoing all the blonde had fought so hard for. It would also mean the Skaikru would be outside her protection and free pickings for any Clan with the strength and desire to take what the Skaikru had. To that end she had decided she would tell Indra not to run them off her land but to conquer the Skaikru instead, claiming them for Trigedakru.  In fact she would send the forces of Middling to assist so that the victory was as emphatic and absolute as possible. They would be assimilated as her people. She would not be thanked for the decision and they would not see it but they would, in a way be protected..

 

However just as she was once more bolstering her heart to do what was needed, another messenger had arrived. His horse had been lathered and he himself looked hard ridden. Clearly he had pushed himself to arrive as soon as possible, to arrive before the Clan Council.

 

He again brought word from Indra. Indra reported that at the last moment Skai Prisa Clarke, Destroyer of the Mountain had emerged from the wilderness and negotiated a deal for peace. Lexa raised her eyebrow at Clarke’s titles and wondered whether it was actually Indra who bestow them or the messenger himself, somehow she very much doubted Indra would have been so lofty. The message went on to say that Indra was satisfied with the terms and that she would explain the details in person when she was in Polis for the next Seasonal Sitting, which was due to sit  in a few short weeks. The message stated that Lexa should move forward with the knowledge that  North Edge and Skaikru were now not just peaceful neighbours but were now firm allies.

 

Lexa tried not to feel too elated but its was one battle she was bound to lose. She allowed herself a smile.

 

With this new knowledge and the Clan meeting not for a few more days she felt she could come back to the Round House and finish what she’d started the other week. Now peace had been assured it was time to make peace with her past.

 

Last time she’d attended she’d discovered Clarke was indeed as popular a story choice as she’d expected. How could she not be? She’d slain the boogieman under the bed.

 

The faceless shadow of the Mountain that had tormented her people since memory began. Gone.

 

It was the greatest story of the time and it showed as rendition after rendition was told. Clarke becoming more ruthless more righteous with each telling. This made Lexa frown. Clarke deserved to be remembered for who she was. A fiercely intelligent woman with more compassion in her heart than usually survived on the ground. Which was why she decided if an opportunity arose she would speak, this was after all the Round House.

 

The House was crowded when she arrived, this suited her fine, it made it easier for her to blend in and hide her face. There was a chance that there were still some regulars here that remembered her face as “Dria” and she had no desire to be recognised before she was ready. She would speak to Oren on her own terms.

 

The Round House was as its name implied a round building. It was two stories high and built around a circular central stage. The lower level was open plan and allowed for people to crowd around the raised stage when busy. The second floor contain private rooms that had open balconies overlooking the stage. It was one of the buildings built after the Cataclysm and it was also one of the most popular Teller houses in Polis. Mostly because It had a reputation for toeing the line of sedition.

 

The Round House’s success was mostly born of its Masked Sessions. At sunset it opened the floor to anyone wishing to tell a tale. The speaker could do so keeping their identity a secret using a mask as an alias. It was for this reason that Lexa and Kyra had come in the first place all those years ago seeking the fun of a Teller house and the blessing of anonymity.

 

The session was mediated by the Master of the House and the crowd itself. Those that got on stage merely the vent their ills were quickly booed off or escorted by the Master.

 

A young man stood tall and confident in the centre of the stage as Lexa wove her way through the crowd.

 

“Good evening!” He hollered to the crowd. The crowd gave a half hearted cheer back.

 

“For this evening you may call me Po” He said with a dramatic sweeping bow.

 

Po’s mask was unusually simple, it was merely a thick black strip of cloth wrapped around his eyes and tied at the back and while there was a red star painted on the band between his eyes there was little else to mark it as distinctive.  

 

This was not always the case. Tellers used their masks as a calling cards for their storytelling thus many had elaborate masks. One of Lexa’s favorite tellers when she was a goufa was called “Golden Ghost” and his mask had been made up of many tiny pieces of mirror. Lexa’s own mask from her time in the House while not elaborate wasn’t as simple as Po’s. It was a wooden mask, carved in the face of a fox and painted plain blue. The mask had been a gift from Costia. The girl had said at the time that Lexa  needed something with a bit more stage presence that reflected her. It was a fox because they were smart, cunning and often underestimated just like her. It was blue because Costia like to look at blue just like she liked to look at her. At the time Lexa thought it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her and so Blue Fox was born.

 

Lexa found a seat up the back in the corner. She was unconcerned by whether she could see the stage or not and would rather be as out of sight as possible.

 

“When I’m not Po I’m a scout from TonDC of North Edge” At this statement fresh murmurs rippled through the crowd, fresh gossip from the front line then .Even Lexa found herself sitting forward listening intently.

 

“I accompanied a Messenger from TonDC to Polis who brought tidings from General Indra to Heda Alexandria” he bumped his fist to his heart.

 

Lexa frowned hard. To be a messenger was an extremely honored position, they were all sworn to secrecy punishable by death should they break their oath. After the Cataclysm the Trigedakru had lost their literacy. None that Lexa knew could read Old World, few, in fact even knew what the strange symbols from Before actually were. However Lexa knew them to be what words looked liked captured on paper.  As none could read or write the Trigedakru were forced to come up with there own system of relaying messages across the land and thus the role of messenger was born.

 

But a messenger was sworn to uphold the confidentiality of the message. They even carried poison with them at all times for in event of capture...if one had broken his vows….

 

But Po continued.

 

“I tell you this so you know I come direct from TonDC, that what I say is true witness by my own two eyes”

 

“I was there with General Indra when the Skai Prisa emerged from the wilderness after embarking on her Spirit Quest! We had been negotiating with the Skaikru for weeks with little success. War seemed inevitable. Battle lines were pitched! We held a blade to our opponents throats and they held guns to our heads. Then the Prisa entered and on her command brought everyone to their knees!

 

Po went on to describe how the Trikru and Skaikru were on the brink of war, of the altercation that erupted within Camp Jaha and Clarke’s subsequent intervention.

 

Lexa’s heart jumped to her throat as she heard how Clarke had stepped in front of the bullet meant for Indra and she listened with rapt attention as Po described exactly what had transpired that day.

 

“....the Skai Prisa held her head high…”

  
  


Clarke cast her gaze out to the sea of faces, of her people and Indra’s sitting cross legged on the ground around them. The situation wasn’t ideal but she’d make it work, she had to make it work. determinedly she turned her eyes to Indra.She looked at Indra and once more at the collection of their combined people sitting around them.

 

Cautiously she raised her arm and bumped her fist to her heart replicating what Lincoln had shown her on the walk here, acknowledging Indra’s rank.

 

“Thank you General for your consideration”

 

Indra’s eyes narrowed in speculation at the gesture but otherwise outwardly gave nothing else away.

 

“Go on then Sky Girl. Speak . What can you possibly offer me that your people have not already?” She leans forward on the crate “Which was nothing by the way. Your people offered me nothing…”

 

Clarke takes a breath to calm herself before mimicking Indras pose and speaking

“First we need to clarify some things… Just so we’re in agreement before any deals are made”

 

Indra looks scornful but doesn’t respond.

 

“ Do you agree that The Commander has said that the Mountain is to be ours? That all that they held is now Skaikru's as per the standing tradition since the Cataclysm?”

 

Here Indra actually rolled her eyes “ Yes I agree. The trouble comes from the fact that your people Will. Not. Go.”

 

Clarke actually smiled. One thing she could count on and respect about Indra was she was blunt and direct. There would be no dancing around the issue. “ Yeah, I can see how that could cause trouble and I promise we’ll get to that. But you agree that *all* they held is now ours? When defeated all they owned, all they controlled became the victors. Ours.”

 

Indra paused smelling a trap. She answers carefully

 

“Traditionally yes but there were conditions for the Commanders withdrawal. Skaikru couldn’t not keep any Mountain Men weapons…”

 

“Which we have agreed too and as I understand it destroyed. But now what was theirs is now ours correct?” Clarke stared at the woman willing her to agree. Her plan hinged upon Indras agreement on this point.

 

“Yes” Says Indra slowly. Clarke felt a wave of relief wash through her she struggled not to show just how relieved she was.

 

Forcing herself to relax she continued.

 

“Good. Then you agree that the land the Mountain Men referred to as “The Veil’ is now ours”

 

Indra just stared at her. So Clarke was forced to clarify.

 

“The Veil” is the two and half  mile radius of land the Mountain Men controlled with their Gas”

 

Indra’s nostrils flared and she was on her feet in a second her hand leaping to her sword “You JUST swore to destroy such weapons!!”

 

Clarke raised her voice as she hurried to reassure the irate woman glancing at that restless Trikru seated behind.

 

“And we did! We did! We only want the land that was once controlled by it!! Its the land we’re after. No one believes weapons like the gas should ever be used again”

 

Indra paced off to the side gazing out towards the gate and the forest beyond “ The woods belong to the the Trikru.” she said firmly

 

“Not these woods they don’t.” said Clarke just as firmly back “This land has always belonged to the Mountain, which is why you speared Jasper when he tried to enter and yet saved him later. You couldn’t allow him to enter that land because you didn’t want us angering the Maun but at the time we were not your enemies either...  obviously we didn’t realise that”

 

Indra snorted gaze turned inward as she considered what she was being told. “Saving the boy was Anya’s call’

 

“And if she wakes I’ll be sure to thank her. The Veil has been off limits for the Trikru since the Cataclysm. Let it stay that way and give us somewhere to go that’s not a tomb under a mountain…”

 

Indra stood still gaze unseeing as she thought about the proposition before her. It felt like hours to Clarke before abruptly Indra moved sharply back to the crate.

 

“I see no harm in it. You can’t miss what you’ve never held. Very well I concede that this “Veil” land shall be given over to the Skaikru...Heard and Witnessed.”

 

And as if on cue the Grounders seated behind called out “Heard and Witnessed” Clarkes gaze flickered to the group sitting behind her but remains silent.

 

Indra huffs.

 

“You are all like dealing with goufa (children). Does no Skaikru vouch for the deal just made?” she sees Clarke beginning to open her mouth. “Not you or your council Prisa it must be someone independent of the contract just made.”

 

Never let it be said that Octavia was not a quick study. She elbowed her brother as she called “Heard and Witnessed!”

 

Bellamy let out a soft oOoof before calling gruffly “Heard and Witnessed” At their lead a handful of others called out.

 

Indra once more on her crate studied Clarke hard.

 

“Now that you have land that is not a tomb we should discuss your departure from MY land. This place is not of the Veil land which is now yours, you must leave it immediately.

 

It was here that Marcus Kane found his voice

 

“Perhaps..”

 

“Chancellor.” Clarke cut him off before he started. She turned and looked at him beseechingly. She and Marcus Kane had a strange relationship. Here on earth he was a different man to whom he’d been in space. She supposed the weight of the decisions made up there shaped him, just as hers down here had her. Despite their fraught history that was filled with disagreements. Marcus Kane was possibly one of the few whose opinion she trusted and whom she thought understood her own decisions. She hoped this was enough for him to take the hint now.

 

Fortunately it was, he looked at her with an unreadable expression before inclining his head in the briefest of nods.

 

Clarke closed her eyes in relief and took yet another deep breath. This next bit was the hard sell but it was also the icing on the cake. Regardless of what happend now she had already secured outside land for her people.

 

She lean forward on the crate resting her elbows on her knees until the bullet hole in her shoulder twinged uncomfortably forcing her to sit back up. Crates she decided, sucked,  she’d give a lot for a bit of lumbar support right now. Instead she tried to get as comfortable as possible before looking Indra in the eyes

 

“ I’ve thought about that as well”

 

“These thoughts you’ve had better have been about how fastest to move your people” Responded the stern woman dryly clearly more at ease now that at least some resolution had been reached.

 

Clarke schooled her features.

 

“Rest assured General we will move off your land.”

 

There was undignified squawk behind her and the aggravating blustering voice of Councilman Jacob Hall could be heard “ Now Wait just a minute!!” but apparently the glance she’d shared with Marcus had been significant and the man's grating tone was cut off smoothly by the Chancellor himself

 

“Councilman Hall, Please restrain yourself from comment. I’ve said we would give Clarke the opportunity to speak and so far she has not disappointed. I believe I also said that as Chancellor I would need to be a part of final decision, so be at peace and be quiet.  I will reserve judgement until I have heard all of what Clarke has to say..”

 

Clarke turned and to shoot Kane a thankful glance but he was too busy sending a fiercely quelling glare at the councilman in question.

 

“Thank You Chancellor. As I was saying now that we have our own land we will definitely leave your territory, eventually, but I got to thinking, this could be a mutually beneficial situation for all of us.” Indra’s stare was hard but she didn’t object so Clarke continued.

 

“ It turns out the ground is not all that different from the sky. We pretty much had the same problem up there, limited space, it was like a major thing as you can imagine. Some people had more space and others had less. Regardless it was all carefully defined, regulated and controlled just like down here with your Clan Territories.

 

“So then surely you understand Clarke kom Skaikru why I can’t just let you remain as you will. If you were I? If this was up in the sky what would you do?”

 

Clarke smile to herself being careful not to show it, relieved Indra was asking the right questions.

 

“I’d have had you floated or charged you rent” Clarke says without hesitation and hears someone suck in a gasp.

 

“I do not know what either of those things are!” said Indra clearly losing patience.

 

“Killed. Floated means killed” fills in Octavia’s voice from the side “She said she’d have you killed or she’d make you pay up” Continues brunette her voice once again dark.

 

Clarke internally winces even though she’s sure her friend is on the same page as her. After all it was talking to Octavia about their differing lives on the Ark during the hike here  that had led to this very idea.

 

Indra turns from her Ex-Second to study Clark a new measure of respect in her eyes. Clarke was now speaking a language she was far more familiar with.

 

“You are suggesting I need to make you pay?”

 

Clarke allowed herself to smile at Indra’s incredulous tone.

 

“Yes thats precisely what I’m saying. But not in blood, in a way more helpful for all involved than that. When I was on the Ark, in the sky. I grew up on Alpha station, think of a station like a territory. My mother is a fisa (healer) and my father an engineer, thats someone who kept us in the sky, both on the council. Because of this we had a lot of space. There was a boy my age who lived next to us. His name was Mike his father was also an engineer like us they had space as well. Mike’s family, like mine, had a whole apartment, not only did we have a living room but then we had our own private quarters as well.” Clarke watched Indra follow along with her story with interest. There were some disgruntled murmurings from the seated Arkers.

 

“This wasn’t the case for everyone.” she heard a sarcastic “you bet it wasn’t” from somewhere in the crowd. “Anyway one day I was around at Mikes when this girl I didn’t know just walks in and into his room shutting the door. When I asked who she was Mike told me he’s “renting” his room . Turns out Elle was from Mecha Station, Her father was an Oddjob, they’re someone whose trade it was to fix things for people and her Mom a nanny. Down on Mecha they shared a one room space. Her Dad brought gadgets home and her Mom often had children with her. So it was  one incredibly noisy space. She wanted to be a biochemist, I’m sorry I can’t even begin to describe what that is to you and needed a quiet place to study. So she and Mike had an agreement, she’d pay him 4 credits and do one chore for him and then she get the space for four hours.”

 

“So you are proposing to do our chores for us in order to be able to stay on our land in your ark” said Indra with more disbelief colouring her tone than Clarke would have liked.

 

“Essentially yes. Look hear me out! This could work out well for both of us. I know things have been particularly hard for the people of TonDC you’ve borne the brunt of both the war with my people and with the mountain. I know you must be under manned in your preparation for winter especially with rebuilding required in TonDC. I am proposing we help you with this as payment for allowing us stay for a bit. Skaikru don’t want to stay at Camp Jaha forever we just want long enough to take want we need and get established elsewhere…”

 

Indra was still as she considered this, her gaze turned inward as she thought on what Clarke had said. Finally she looked back at Clarke with an assessing gaze.

 

“When I was younger I visited the Stoneman Clan I stayed with someone I met. He was chief of his village. The Village over the hill paid him a tithe every moon to use one of his fields to grow some crops because they were unable to do so on their own land.” mused Indra.

 

“Yes!” Clarke leaned forward excited.

 

“If you were to stay, the agreement must be one such as this. You pay me every moon…” Indra glanced around the camp “What are you proposing to pay me with? Your weapons? Your technology? You will run out of all of these things pretty quickly”

 

Bolstering herself for her final gambit Clarke replies with as much nonchalant confidence as she can muster.

 

“I was thinking more like a percentage of our hunts”

 

Indra snorts in amusment “ Please Prisa.Talk serious. Your people cannot hunt”

 

Clarke flashes a grin. Once more hoping Octavia is right about Indra.

 

“ Well then, when I offer to trade you some tech in exchange for some hunting lessons...you should probably accept”

 

To Clarkes surprise and delight Indra gives a hearty bark of laughter.

 

“ Truly?” Indra actually smiles and shake her head.

 

“Truely. We’ll trade some tech, something valuable perhaps like some of our radios? For some hunting lessons. Then we’ll hunt for you in payment for our continued presence in Jaha, freeing up more of your people to rebuild TonDC and prepare for winter.” Clarke was beginning to feel woozy from both exhaustion and her bullet wound. “ It could be a temporary agreement or it could be ongoing...you people might not need to ever hunt again.” She was probably over selling things but she was starting to feel like she might fall off her crate or throw up neither would be great in front of grounders so she continued.

 

“Wth your agreement and as long as we’re done trying to kill each other,  we can iron out the details in a  proper council at another time…I’m pretty sure everyone would appreciate getting up off the floor…”

 

Indra was watching her carefully and for a split second the blonde was sure she saw concern flash across the darker womans face but it was quickly schooled into impassiveness. Finally after what seemed like an eternity to a flagging Clarke, Indra replied

 

“Sha Prisa, I think your proposal could work. Let us meet again tomorrow to come to exact terms. You and your council will come to TonDC as Me and mine will not remain here a moment longer. We have wasted enough time behind your fence….

 

Po finished his tale by describing the celebratory feast that had then been hosted by TonDC when the agreement had been officially made. He left the crowd chuckling at the hilarious picture he paint of the Skaikru trying Jovan (a drink made from the potent jobie berries) for the first time.

 

At the conclusion of his tale he was met with a slew of questions from the crowd.

 

“Is the Destroyer really 7ft tall?”

 

“I heard Sky people don’t need to breathe the same as we do because there is no air in space! Is this true?”

 

“Is her hair really yellow like straw? Did you meet her?”

 

“Do their people all really use guns all the time? Don’t they carry swords?”

 

“Do you think the Prisa will be coming to Polis for the Seasonal Sitting?”

 

At the last comment Lexa snapped her gaze up to the balconies and to the owner of that voice. Not only due to the surprisingly practical nature of the question but because she would recognise that voice anywhere.  Its seemed by coming here she had found Kyra as well as Oren.

 

Po was unable to answer such a question and the ones of a more ridiculous nature were petering off. Lexa continued to covertly keep an eye on the balcony where Kyra sat and she could now see Oren lounging on the railing as well. As she watched he lazily gave a loud clap into the silence and called out to the crowd

 

“ The Skai Prisa remains a popular choice! A tale well told Po! Well told! Let us continue on a theme then! Does anyone else have a tale involving our favourite blue eyed fallen star?

 

When half a dozen people began to rise he clarified.

 

“A tale that is NOT a retelling of the Fall of the Mountain…..” two thirds of the people sat down “OR what you imagine the Prisa and Heda get up to in that war tent of theirs…” the remaining two sat down.

 

Lexa refused to blush. Refused. To. She’d heard one of those last week and it was the most fictional piece of Telling she’d ever heard.

 

She had her chance now though. Hadn’t she told herself that if she was presented a chance to speak up for the real Clarke she would? It would also be a dramatic enough re-entrance into Kyra’s and Oren’s lives that even the theatrical Oren should be impressed... if he didn’t kill her as soon as he laid eyes on her that is.

 

With that thought she quickly checked that no one was paying her any mind and slipped on her blue fox mask before standing and making her way to the stage.

 

“ Well then if we don’t have...No wait  I see there is one more Teller game to tell of the Destroyer! Hei Teller! Wha….” Oren stumbled when he saw her mask but this was after all his calling and he was a professional, he managed to continue on smoothly with just a moment's hesitation. “ What do you go by Teller”

 

“Blue Fox, Master...It has been a long time since I’ve told tales here…” She said confidently though her heart hammered in her breast.

 

“Yes it has Blue Fox...  three winters or more if memories serves” Oren made a deliberate show of scratching his chin before leaning forward on the railing once more. Next to him Kyra was now on her feet staring at Lexa like she’d seen a ghost.

 

“Very well then the floor is yours. The rest of you lot make welcome to the stage BLUE FOX”

 

And then all eyes were on her as she took her place in the centre of the stage.

 

Back when they were yongons she was the reluctant one of group. She’d done it because the other three had. Truth be told she was too practical for tales, she had no sense of drama and she wasn’t as creative at spinning twists and turns as her companions . However Lexa found she could more than make up for these shortcomings by her ability to speak. Lexa was a brilliant orator, she instinctively knew how to pace her words, how to read a crowd, how to modulate her tone and how to adapt her language till the crowd believed unequivocally in what she was telling them. It was a skill she’d discovered a child in the Teller House and one she continued to hone during her tenure as Heda.

 

It was a skill she found just as invaluable to being the Commander as that of being able to separate a man's head from his body. She would be hard pressed to survive without either of these skill sets and it was with these that she’d built the Coalition.

 

Lexa had decided she would tell the story of how Clarke had saved “the Commander” from the Pauna. All she need do was merely tweak it so that the guard that had perish in the initial chase had survived. This was required to create a witness to events but everything else she would tell as it happen.

 

She greeted the crowd like an old friend and began to tell her Tale.

 

It was just the sort of tale the crowd loved. It had action, suspense and their two favourite protagonists. She threw in as many lingering looks between Clarke and herself as she felt comfortable with to appease her “bloodthirsty romantics” but tried to make the focus Clarke. Which was actually quite an easy endeavour as it became clear to Lexa the other reason the story was such a hit with the crowd was because it was “the Commander” who was being rescued, not only rescued but being rescued by Clarke. They enthusiastically cheered when Clarke succeeded in fending off the pauna while dragging Lexa bodily into the cage and whooped when Clarke tricked the beast into the very cage they were hiding in. A Story such as this might not be told in another house for fear of  disrespecting Heda but not here in the Round such was the magic of the Masks.

 

She left the stage on a high, she’d forgotten the exhilaration of being on stage.

 

The crowd begged her for more information on the Skai Prisa but she played coy citing she’d heard the story second hand from another in TonDC. As she left the stage she give a tilt of her head to Oren still up on the second floor with Kyra indicating she would come to them.

 

The time had come, three years since Costia’s death, to face her not-quite brother in-law.

 

 


	6. Council & Cold Latin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To quote Octavia “I’m back bitches!” Uh sorry for the delay...all I say is- there is a reason my name is Not_Enough_Hours ( it is literally the story of my life). Massive thankyou to all those who commented on the last chapter. Really your feedback inspires :) 
> 
> I struggled a little with this chapter because it was such a setup chapter but I had fun in the end. 
> 
> Uh it occurred to me while writing this that the ark was kinda set up for a communist style society rather than a capitalist one...while I haven’t expanded on that thought its an interesting notion yeah? Just throwing it out there. Gee I find the 100 verse darn interesting.
> 
> Once again reasonably unchecked and unbeta-ed (how does one get one of those? they sound super awesome…) apologies for any errors.

 

A couple of days after the celebration honoring the newly formed treaty with the trikru, the “New” Council met to discuss the state of things. On the Ark The Council had been a council of six presided over by the Chancellor . The Six were made up of representatives from the six key departments deemed necessary keep the function and social cohesion of the Ark. Engineering, which was the seat Clarkes father had represented for a time. Guard, Health, (the position long held by her Mom), Agriculture, Labour and Logistics which had been the position previously held by Marcus Kane while Jaha was in power.

 

Given that this was the previous structure of the Council Clarke was unsurprised to hear that none of the First Fall had been admitted to its ranks. The others were less understanding.

 

“Why should they decided? Huh? What do they know about anything down here!” a drunken Monty had ranted while leaning lopsidedly into her shoulder the night of the celebration. “They said everything was forgiven! But they won’t let me back on Agro! and I KNOW I know its  cuz I ‘borrowed” that stuff that ONE time!...Clarke, they want me to help out with engineering, help with the tech. But I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to go back to working with plants, plants don’t hurt people”...

 

Bellamy had a similar view, well not about the plants but about the council..  “Are we supposed to just let it go?” He asked quietly one night shortly after the celebration when neither of them could find sleep.  “Just hand it over to them? Trust they know best? because I don’t Clarke. I don’t.” he’d tilted his head to look at her then his warm shoulder still pressing into hers. She didn’t have an answer for him

 

Clarke felt stuck. She was tired, she was so so tired, she didn’t want to make decisions she didn’t want to be responsible but the thing was she agreed with Bellamy. She didn’t trust the Arkers to make the right call when the chips were down.

 

So when she was invited the council meeting she agreed to go along. In truth she kinda expected a rebuke.

 

Earlier that day Octavia and Monroe had cornered her while she was idly inventorying things in medical. She did it to keep her hands busy and because it was a comfort, reminding her of when she was a kid.

 

“Did you hear” exclaimed Monroe excitedly eyes bright and braids bouncing off her shoulders.

 

“You’ll have to be more specific” Commented Clarke not looking up from stacking freshly sterilised bandages. “I’ve heard that Harper and Monty think they can make moonshine out of some “improved”  plant they’ve found. I’ve ALSO heard this same discovery may or may not have led them into being an item but I’ve got no confirmation from either source. I’ve heard Roma is running a profit card game behind mess after bunk down, that Miller likes to sing in the shower and that he can actually hold a tune and I’ve heard Raven could be building an army of world conquering drones….”

 

‘Spiro from Mecha is calling for an Election!! Got us all while we were in the common area after breakfast…” Interrupts Monroe.

 

Clarke paused what she was doing with frown. Octavia sighed heavily “ Why are you frowning Clarke...Its a good thing! We’ll finally get some say! This is what we’ve been waiting for!”

 

Clarke dropped her hands from stacking finally turning to face the two girls fully

 

“Is it? You should know better O. Isn’t it why you and the others use to give me and Wells stick? That its a “corrupt system” made for the privileged few? What we really need right now is some stability. At the very least Marcus knows what's involved and whats at stake. If there is an election who knows who we could get….would you trust Jacob Hall with everyone?”

 

“Well we just need to make sure we nominate the right person...right?” Here Monroe shoots her a blatantly hopeful look before shyly looking down. Octavia just continues look at her expectantly.

 

Clarke stared at them.

 

“What? No!...Octavia No.” She can’t help the look of horror that comes across her face.

 

“Don’t look at me Princess….I didn’t nominate you….” Octavia crosses her hands over her chest defensively “that was an Arker in the common area, didn’t catch her name. Not sure its what good ol’ Spiro had in mind.. pretty sure he was angling for himself.”

 

Clarke flung her hands out in exasperation “Good! I don’t want to be in charge! I never did!” the blonde ran a frustrated hand through her hair. “Why would she do that?” Clarke sighed again.

 

Octavia gave a half shrug “My leading answer is- because you’re a badass...” Clarke scoffs and picks up another roll of bandage stuffing it hard onto its designated shelf.

 

“Its because you keep us safe.” Monroe says quietly. Clarke’s eyed darts to the youngster who ducks her head again unable to meet the blondes gaze.

 

“I , I just mean...that’s why...if you were wondering.”

“The kid’s right Blondey. You’ve got a track record of saving our arses and dealing with the grounders. Kinda big ticket items on the resume down here.”

 

Clarke groaned and dragged tired hand across her face. “It wasn’t like that…I just wanted everyone to be safe” It wasn’t until she finished the sentence that she realised she just confirmed what Monroe had said and winced at herself

 

Octavia gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder

 

“Don’t worry you’re not elected yet. It’s not even official...like you said the council will probably put a stop to it ” The brunettes expression turned dark. The animosity she still held for the council rising to the surface. “ C’mon Roe we should go see about tomorrows hunt” and with that the two left Clarke as fast as they’d appeared.

 

So it was with some level of apprehension that Clarke enter the newly designated Council room. As it turns out she wasn’t the only person not of the council there.

 

Upon entering she noticed that Bellamy, Octavia and Lincoln were also present. So was Kyle Wick but she already knew from Raven that he’d been promoted to Counsellor for Engineering. Apparently he had impressed Marcus Kane during the fall of the Ark.  Bellamy made eye contact and raised his eyebrows in question and she gave a little half shug of her shoulders in return indicating that she had no idea what this was about either.

 

The main table held seven seats already filled but at their entrance Marcus started to drag some seats from the perimeter to the table and following his lead Bellamy grabbed the rest. Soon enough they were all bunched awkwardly around the table.

 

Not only was Wick present but so was her mother and Sergeant David Miller. Her mom obviously filling her usual Seat for Health. While Nathan’s father must currently be filling the Seat for Guard. The man look awkward at the table and kept adjusting the cuff of his uniform, clearly ill at easy in this setting. Although she knows Jacob “Ratface” Hall from courtyard incident he is still unknown to her as are the other two Councilors introduced.

 

Finally Marcus stood leaning forward he addressed the assembled.

 

“Thankyou all for attending today. Perhaps this will seem an overly dramatic but I’ve called this meeting to discuss exactly how we as a community are to survive here on earth, more specifically how we as a people are going to proceed going forward…”

 

Jacob Hall interrupts

 

“Surely this is a discussion for the council alone”  He said a with a sneer in Clarkes direction. Obviously HE hadn’t forgotten the courtyard incident either.

 

Marcus appeared unimpressed “Clearly Councilor, I think to the contrary otherwise I wouldn’t have requested their presence”

 

Suitably chastised “Ratface” falls silent. Marcus glances around the room and seeing no further objections continues.

 

“We find ourselves on the ground in a situation we couldn’t have predicted or imagined a few short years ago. I think we have to acknowledge that what worked in the Ark may not work here on the ground. People’s roles need to change, our rules need to change.”

 

Clarke wasn’t surprised everything she knew about Marcus Kane said while he was a regimented rule follower he was also a bigger picture thinker. Even at the height of his ruthlessness on the Ark it was all for the “long game”, about survival. Survival was the one thing that trumped rules in Kane’s world. She watched the others in the room carefully.  

 

“Everything has changed”Marcus continued. “Where we once used hydroponics and synthesised food, we will now need to learn how to hunt and farm. Where we had mechanics and Oddjobs to repair machines and systems, we now we need to build houses and structures. Our guard whose purpose was to police civil unrest now need to be warriors capable of fighting off attacks from enemies that have proven to be far more savage than what we could have previously comprehended. Even our medical will need to be different, we will need to know about poisons and viruses previously never seen before.” Here he left a weighty pause as he let his words sink in  “ Finally our Politicians need to be more, we are no longer alone. Our leaders task will no longer simply be maintaining our community but they must be diplomatic and represent us to all other Clans, a necessity in order to ensure peace for our people.” He leaned forward again sweeping his gaze across all around the table

 

“In short we must change or fall.”

 

“Things are no longer as cut and dry as they were on the Ark. It has become clear that on the ground we must be flexible. We must review the roles of our people. For instance people from Agro may not make good hunters while some of our guardsmen will.”

 

Clarke thought back to the Ark where everyone had their designated role in life. Resources and space limitations were such that people didn’t have a choice (Although some like herself had more choice than others) If the council said you were to be a janitor because that was the role that required filling at the time then thats what you’d be. In the Ark you were simply one cog in a larger functioning machine.

 

Clarke watched the Councilors carefully the three unknowns to her were looking nervous.

“So what exactly are you suggesting Marcus? That we allow people leave their assigned tasks? Choose what they think they are most suitable too?” Asked Barrack Stone. It was unsurprising that he was the one to ask he held the seat for Labour.

 

“Not at all Barrack. I believe it’s vital that we hold onto order. I am simply proposing we reassign people to where they might be more suited. It’s up to us as Council now to figure out what new roles we need and what roles are now obsolete. Its imperative we maintain order right now, the people must pull together and do as they’re told, I believe unilateral free choice right now would be a mistake.” Answered Kane calmly.

 

Clarke frowned. Thinking of Monty and his desire to go back to Agro. The Blakes were having an intense conversation with their eyes alone but didn’t interrupt the current discussion.

 

Marcus seeing no further comments went on.

 

“In following this principle we need to revise our council to reflect the new requirements for living on earth.” No sooner had he finished his sentence than Jacob “Ratface Hall was spluttering.

 

“Look here Marcus..” He said rising from his chair.

 

“No Jacob. This is a new world the requires new tasks and open minds. I’m proposing two new positions to the Council.” The already quiet room held its breath. Clearly this wasn’t quite what Hall had been expecting and he spluttered into silence frantically darting his gaze to his colleges, slowly he sat back down.

 

Meanwhile Clarke was beginning to get anxious. There were four of them in the room not on the council and she was reasonably sure Marcus wouldn’t be putting Lincoln on the Council. That left her and the Blakes.

 

“It has become apparent we need a stronger fighting force. Our Guardsmen on the Ark were created to police our laws and their role was to gently pacify any uprising. Tactics that I’m afraid won’t work when dealing with direct attacks.  I’m proposing we create a new Armed Force, a Milita. They would deal with external threats, act as scouts and assist with hunting. I’ve already discussed this with Sergeant Miller and he agrees that this is the best course. To that end I propose Octavia Blake should head up this second Milita” The girl in question nearly fell out of her chair at the news “Out of our people she is arguably the only one of us with any real field combat training. As head of this new Milita she would also take a seat on the Council to advise us on the best course when dealing with external threats. She would, however as a lower rank still be under Sergeant Miller’s direct Chain of Command and thus still answer to him and follow his orders. I will also be promoting Sergeant Miller to Major.

 

Octavia who had been previously doing her best to appear half dozing,  now having regained her seat somewhat, was staring open mouthed at Marcus. Finally she looked to both her brother and Clarke as if to check that she’d heard correctly. Clarke gave her an encouraging smile and a little thumbs up. Bellamy for a moment looked just as shocked as his sister before puffing up his chest and grinning with pride. Lincoln sitting next to her for once looked just like Bellamy.

 

“ You can’t be serious! She’s practically one of them! No offense Marcus but I will NOT be trusting her with our people” Spat Jacob. Next to him Clarke could see the woman Tiffany nodding right along with him. Bellamy looked furious and opened his mouth ready to retort.

 

Marcus sighed and held up his hand.

 

“ Councilors if you would allow me to make the final nomination then we can discuss the merits of each candidate afterwards?”

 

Bellamy shut his mouth with an audible click. Jacob grumbled something under his breath but in the end nodded at Marcus to continue.

 

“Finally, it is my firm belief that despite any reservations we might have about the Grounders, for our own survival we MUST form stronger alliances with them. What Clarke did for us in the courtyard was to be highly commended and it is with this in mind I’m proposing a new seat called “ Foreign Affairs” and nominating Clarke Griffin to fill it”

 

At this point such an announcement came as no surprise to Clarke and she discovered she wasn’t even as upset by the prospect as she could have been. In a way it was almost the best outcome, it would allow her to keep an eye on the council and have a voice but with none of the true weight of being “in charge” . Really, the majority of her reservations stemmed from the role of “foreign affairs” itself. She had done nothing to even attempt to resolve the conflicted feelings betrayal and respect Lexa and her people inspired in her. In fact given the option Clarke would be VERY happy to never think of or interact with the grounders ever again. She conceded that this dream was unlike to happen and that if she had to, brusque as she was Indra was probably the one she was happiest to deal with.

 

“Now, First let us vote on whether we are in agreement that the new seats are necessary. I will remind you that this initial vote is solely on the creation of the positions and NOT who fills them. I also remind you that the council must be made up of even seats and so this vote is for BOTH seats to be added. All on the council in favour raise you hand and say aye”

 

Kyle, Abby, Miller, Barrack and Tiffany all raised their hands. Jacob Hall glared at the wall.

 

“Excellent, let the record show that hence forth the Council of Six is now the Council of Eight”

 

“Now does anyone have issues worth discussing on Clarke Griffins nomination before the vote?” He was met with silence. Clarke sighed but didn’t comment bowing to the inevitable.

 

“Very well. All those on the council in favour of the appointing of Clarke Griffin to the position of Councilor for Foreign Affairs raise your hand and say Aye”

 

Once again Kyle, her Mom (whose turn it was to wear the look of pride) Sgt Miller and Barrak raised their hands and said Aye. Once again Jacob Hall remained in stoney silence this time joined by Tiffany Frank Councilor for Agriculture, or the woman who turned down Monty (who says no to Monty?)

 

“The Vote is four to two. Clarke Griffin do your accept your nomination to the position of Councillor for Foreign Affairs?” Asked Marcus with a small smile

 

Clarke cough and cleared her suddenly dry throat. “Uh ..Yes, I accept.”

 

Marcus then ran through the swearing in process and just like that Clarke suddenly found herself part of the newly formed Council of Eight.

 

“Now let us discuss Miss Blake” everyone shuffled in their seats.

 

“No need Chancellor. I don’t want it…” All eyes turned to regard the brunette who glared back defiantly.

 

“What No O ..” Bellamy leapt in but his sister held up her hand to him

 

“No , All of you listen to me. I’m a Warrior and a good one. But I’m not made for leadership...its just not my thing. I think Bell got all those genes which is why I think Chancellor you should nominate him instead.”

 

Marcus huffed “While your loyalty to your brother is admirable…” Octavia cut him off.

 

“No, it;s not out of loyalty that I’m doing this. I mean yeah I am loyal...but that's not why.” The brunette ran a frustrated hand through her hair “ Look If I thought I could do what you asking, be what you’re asking, if I thought I was the best Blake for the job I’d accept... but I don’t think I am. Bell and Clarke led us for months before you got here. It was him who trained a bunch of kids how to use weapons and it was him that came up with the plans that defended against the grounders for all those months. Isn’t that exactly what you’re after? Someone to train people? Someone to come up with strategies? Cuz I gotta say then my brother is who you’re really after not me”

 

Marcus sighed exasperatedly “Look Octavia that’s just not happening...”

 

“Well its better than HER she’s already half grounder” chimed in Ms Frank. Lincoln bristled but held his peace but if looks could kill Clarke was sure Tiffany would have dropped dead on the spot.

 

Meanwhile Octavia would not be deterred, her focus from Marcus never wavering “Why not? Why am I any more eligible than he is?”

 

“I’m sure Major Miller could recommend someone far more suitable than these two from the Guard ranks...there must be a few young guardsmen keen to prove their metal ” Interjected Jacob.

 

“Because he is an attempted Murderer!” Exclaimed Kane in frustration he too focusing solely on Octavia. “And the whole point, Jacob, is that we need someone not classically Guard trained” he added distractedly.

 

Octavia folded her arms over her chest and jutted her chin up. Clarke almost felt sorry for Kane.

 

“Well I won’t do it. Its either him or whatever patsy Hall is going to suggest.”

 

“O” Said Bell beseechingly.

 

Her mother who had been surprisingly quiet so far decided to chime in “The kids were all granted full pardons Marc” Clarke’s eyebrow shot to her hairline at the familiar name, which also did a lot to clarify what Lincoln was on about when he pulled her up for calling Lexa Lexa...

 

“...As much as you may want to, you can’t use his past to disqualify him.” Kane turned to look at Abby and they exchanged something unspoken.

 

Clarke had previously suspected that her Mom and Marcus might have a bit of a “thing” . But nebulous “thing” or “vibe” was all she thought it was. However it was clear that in her time away her suspicious had gained a bit more substance. Clarke made a note to grill her Mom later, affectionately of course.

 

“ I think everyone on this council has things in their past they regret don’t you? The point, I think, is how we grow from those choices don’t you?” Continued Abby softly.

 

“He broke the rules!” Replies Marcus half heartedly It was obviously he was losing resistance.

 

Clarke decided it was time to throw in.

 

“I agree with Octavia…” eleven sets of eyes turned to look at her  “You know I respect your decisions Marcus but I think you’re wrong here, you KNOW Bellamy is the right choice for this not O. He is experienced at exactly what you want, he is good at cooperative command and he already has the respect of the First Fall and by extension their families. What more could you want for this position? Clearly you thought he had something to contribute otherwise why did you bring him along to this meeting at all?” Clarke had been pitching her arguments at the council but now she caught and held Kane’s gaze “Frankly if you don’t want to nominate him then it looks to me like you just want someone who agrees with this council in which case you might as well put in one of Hall’s suggestions...though you were kidding yourself if you thought O was ever going to ask “how high”

 

Marcus looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath.

 

“Fine.” It probably didn’t come out as gracious as he would have liked but Clarke would take the win however they got it.

 

“ As Chancellor I present..”

 

“WHAT Kane you can’t be serious!” screeched Hall

 

“Jacob you’ll have your chance to vote on this decision in less then a second until then please be quiet”

 

“I present Bellamy Blake to be appointed to the Seat of Milita. Councilor Clarke will abstain from vote until after the new Council of Eight is formed. All those in favour say Aye and raise you hand.”

 

Wick, Her Mom, Barrack Stone and surprisingly the newly minted Major Miller all voted Aye and once again Jacob Hall and Tiffany Frank were apposed.

 

Clarke watched Marcus’s jaw tick it was clear he had been hoping there would be a tie a tie he as Chancellor would have had to break.

 

“Yes Sir, I accept” Octavia shot her brother a look that said “suck up” and while Clarke agreed that hearing Bell call Kane “Sir” was just too weird, she did appreciate his effort in diplomacy.

 

As quickly as Clarke had been Bellamy took the oath and was sworn in as Councillor for Milita. Clarke was frankly surprised, never would she have picked that two of the First Fall would make the Council. All though it made sense politically for Kane to do so. Clarke knew even from her short time back in camp that many of the Arkers respected the First Fall and numbering at 38 they were a reasonable sized group in the population. Enough to cause a headache if they refused to fall in and follow the rules.

 

While Clarke had been lost in her thoughts the conversation had moved on without her. From what she could gather Marcus was trying rush through an amendment that would give him the power to change work rosters with no area consultation, to be honest Clarke was a little surprised that this wasn’t already within his power. It was also becoming abundantly clear as to why Marcus didn’t want Bellamy on the council in the first place. The two were already going at it in fact everyone at the table seemed to be involved, their blood up. Clarke wondered at exactly how long she’d zoned for, it couldn’t have been that long, yet it looked like another nuclear holocaust was about to erupt.

 

“You can’t just bribe compliance Chancellor! You can’t give us a couple of shiney new positions and expect us to toe the line!” Said Bellamy arms folded

 

Hall was bleeting loudly at the same  time “See here! See this is why you should never been elected! You dishonor the position of Councillor! We should have taken more time to canvas for candidates!” He turned to Kane a kind of fake earnestness dripping off him  “Surely Chancellor there is something in the Charter about a trial period! clearly the Council has made a grievous error here”

 

Marcus smirked and Clarke felt her own temper rising “Unfortunately not Councillor. However if we open the position to a general election the populous can vote them out. The Chancellor can open any council seats to general election at any time…” Clarke read the threat there easily. ‘ I put you here and I can take it away ’

 

“Then Chancellor I thi…”

 

But he was cut off by Octavia. “Does this mean Chancellor you do support general open elections? That you’d be support of an open election for your own position?”

Both men paused and turned to the dark haired girl. She was leaning back in her chair but her gaze was razor sharp. Clarke was sure the pheasants they’d had for dinner the other night experience the same look moments before they received an arrow to the face.

 

Hall just gaped for a moment before he smelt fresh blood and like a viper he switched his attack. His eyes glittering with raw ambition.

 

“Yes excellent question! Do you support such a move Chancellor?”

 

Marcus for his part was calm he gave a deep sigh like he’d been waiting for the topic to come up and found it just as onerous as anticipated.

 

“Yes I’m aware of the calls for an election and while  yes one of our fundamental principles is one of democracy I propose that in this time of transition we suspend elections.”

 

Bellamy scoffs in his seat. Clarke watch Kane clench his jaw but he continued.

 

“Before the Cataclysm, while they were a democracy, in times of strife they had something called “martial law” where upon traditional democracy was suspended so that the action could be taken at speed. Clarke adopted it when we were at war with the mountain (Clarke thought that it certainly sounded better than saying she usurped her mother) I propose we maintain this until we have established both ourselves and our alliances here on the ground.”

 

Bellamy glares

 

“Why am I not surprised. Its a different world but its going to be the same old shit”

 

By now Marcus’s calm demur was beginning to fray “Look! I’m not trying to seize power here Blake. I am honest to god trying to do the best by our people I can. Why do you think you are even here? I could have done all of this without you! It certainly would have been a hell of a lot easier but I didn’t because I’m trying to do better!”

 

Bellamy continues to glower but holds his tongue.

 

“ Just think for a minute. What would you do? Honestly what do you THINK will happen if we were to hold an open election right now? If you would just listen to what I’m proposing you’d see we’re already giving the people enough change.”

 

Just when it looked like Bellamy wasn’t going to respond and Marcus started to take a breathe to continue  Bellamy spoke up.

 

“ I think you’re right.”

 

Marcus was unable to hide his surprise but ever the politician recovers quickly “I’m glad you’ve come to see my point son”

 

Clarke winces. She didn’t think you needed to be close to know that calling Bell ‘son’ was like throwing rocket fuel on a fire but to her surprise Bellamy carried on calmly.

 

“ I see your point “ he nods “and I agree that an open election isn’t the way right now... “ Marcus’s smile got wider “...But nobody said it needed to be you who leads us.”

 

Marcus blanched “What?!”

 

Bellamy now had every Councillors undivided attention.

 

“Section C Under Article 23 of the Charter states that ANY appointed Councillor can declare a vote of “No Confidence” in the Chancellor at anytime and nominate one of the standing Councilors to the position instead, a decision that can’t be countermand for six months…. ”

  


Clarke burst out of the steel confides of the Ark and took off at a run. She flew past the common area till she was hemmed in by the fence which she then followed around till she was hidden by the iron clad bulk of the Arks hull. Once out of sight she collapsed taking gulping breaths of fresh air. There she sat for a bit head between her knees hands on head. Eventually she found herself lying on her back staring at the stars.

 

She kept her mind deliberately blank as she drew things in the constellations. It could have been minutes or hours but all too soon she heard footfalls approaching her location.

 

Reluctantly she dragged her gaze from the stars and looked toward the intruder. There stood Bellamy looking as awkward as she’d ever seen him, he shuffled forward one hand rubbing the back of his neck his gaze directed to the dirt a few feet in front of him.

 

“Clarke?”

 

She didn’t reply she simply turned her gaze back to the stars and wished she was amongst them, amongst them and far away from responsibilities and stupid boys who make stupid decisions.

 

“Clarke?” a shuffle closer  “C’mon Clarke could we talk about this?”

 

She sighs, she knows he won’t go away so she heaves herself into a sitting position chin resting on her knees and glares up at him.

 

“Look, Clarke I’m sorry but..”

 

Suddenly she is furious and she leaps to her feet  “You’re sorry?!” She doesn’t shout but the contained rage in her voice is clear and he flinches taking half a step back “What are you sorry for Bellamy?! The fact that you just threw me under the bus or sorry that’s it’s not going to

magically solve all your problems like you’d hoped!?”

 

Bellamy had never been one to back down from an argument with her and it was apparent he wasn’t about to start now. She watched as his spine straightened and his gaze snapped up to lock with hers, all signs of awkward young man fled.

 

“Cut the dramatic crap Clarke! I really AM sorry that it’s not what you wanted. But I’m not sorry I did it! I did what I thought was necessary!” He took two steps closer glaring at her “Look we can’t have the ground turn into what the Ark did. We need to look out for the kids and the others that have no choice...deep down you know this is the best option to do that!”

 

“ You did what was nessa…for fuck sake Bell we already had two seats on the council! Three if you count Wick hell maybe four with my Mom on a good day! Don’t fucking tell me it was necessary! It wasn’t!”

 

“Its was!” He threw right back at her “ I saw an opportunity and I took it alright?. You know as well as I do that this was probably going to be our one and only chance for something like this. Now is the time Clarke! Right now. If we want to effect change we have to do it now! “ He ran a frustrated hand through his hair “You don’t see how they look at you! How they talk about you...because of how you dealt with the grounders,because your saved them from the mountain, because you looked after their children when they couldn’t and because of who your Dad was and what he did!” Bellamy had been slowly closing the distance between them so that they were now standing toe to toe “Most of this camp would do anything you said Clarke. Anything! You could be a symbol for change You can inspire change! We have to utilise that while we can! before the same old shit gets set in stone!” He reaches out to lay a hand on her shoulder.

 

She shrugged him off violently

 

“You know Bellamy I’m hearing a hell of a lot of “we’s” in that pretty little spiel of yours but let’s be real here it’s not a “we” at all is it?! Its nothing like before where it was you and I, together, dealing with whatever shit earth could throw at us... is it?” She gave him a hard little shove back and out of her personal space “ IS IT!!” she shouts at him choking on the right words she takes a few step back to get air into her lungs.

 

“You made me Chancellor! Bellamy! Without asking! You just went and dropped it all on me! It isn’t fair! You’ll get the choice to walk away whenever you want and play with your guns and your little ideas on revolution but I won’t because I’ll be Chancellor stuck with the responsibility I didn’t want trapped in this nightmare all over again!”  

 

Like a flash he’s back in her face and she thinks that maybe if she wasn’t a girl he would have shoved her as well (but Aurora Blake had raised a better man than that) He’s right up in her face though his eyes are wild.

 

“Oh you mean walk away like you walked away? Maybe I’m just doing what you taught me! Huh?. Maybe you showed me what “together” really meant!” Suddenly he is stalking off into the dark.

 

“Bell”

 

At her voice he stops a short distance away taking a few deep breaths that she can hear over the short distance. All the anger she’d previously felt rushed out of her at his words, its vacuum leaving her feeling hollow and tired.

 

“Is that what this is then?” she sounds small even to her own ears and she clears her throat to try and get a bit of substance back and dislodge the lump now residing there.

 

“What is?” he asks voice gruff with emotion his back still to her.

 

“... a way to get back at me for leaving”

 

At that he turns sharply to look back at her “What?! No don’t be stupid”

 

Its such a Bellamy response she can’t help the small grin that flashes briefly.

 

Now the anger has left her she just feels tired and miserable and can’t keep her feet. There is a crate like thing a short distance from her so she takes a seat on it once again tucking her feet up and resting her chin on her knees.

 

“Was it bad while I was gone?” she asks after a few moments of quiet

 

He’s turned so he’s once more facing the night.

 

“No it was fine” Is the reply but he is still four angry paces away and Clarke can see him clenching his fists even at a distance.

 

“Bell…” She tries

 

“It doesn’t matter Clarke…” he says running a hand through his dark mop of hair a habit that he shares with his sister

 

“Obviously it does….Stop brooding over there and c’mere”

 

He spins an angry retort on his lips until he catches sight of her and then he deflates making his way over to where she’s sitting instead. He leans up against the crate she’s sitting on, he’s tall enough that he can sit on the lip of it and still stretch his legs out in front of him so he’s half leaning half sitting.

 

He sits next to her, close enough that their sides brush and she appreciates it because it means that while he might be mad he’s not THAT mad. It’s reassuring.

 

“I’m sorry I left you on your own Bell” she says and she really is sorry. Since that fateful day with the bad nuts they’d had a silent pact to shoulder the burdens of Earth together. Bellamy had followed this pact so faithfully that even in that final moment, even in that final terrible choice she’d made, he’d chosen to share it with her and she’d repaid him by leaving. Instead of dealing with the aftermath together as was the agreement, she’d broken the pact and left him to deal alone. She couldn’t blame him for feeling betrayed.

 

She feels him shrug against her and it might not be a hundred percent forgiveness but it's definitely acceptance and that’ll do for now.

 

“I’m sorry I made you Chancellor” he counters

 

She doesn’t say anything either, just mimics his shrug from a moment ago. They sit in a comfortable silence for a bit before he breaks it again.

 

“I didn’t actually think you’d be so upset in my head….”

 

She snorts in response.

 

“Well I mean I didn’t think you’d be thrilled but I figured you’d mostly be ok…That you’d get it”

 

She sighs before replying

 

“It’s not that I don’t get it Bell…” She feels as much as hears him hum his acknowledgement. They are silent again till he says in a big rush.

 

“You don’t have to go through with it if you really don’t want to you know? ...You’re not sworn in yet. Tell them you’ve changed your mind.”

 

Clarke folds her arms over her knees before resting her head on them tiredly.

 

“You know I have too.” She says miserably

 

“Why? because that Frank bitch said she’d nominate Hall if you didn’t want it? They both voted for you in the end maybe we could get them on side”

 

Clarke raised her head to squint at him in the moonlight

 

“Now who’s being stupid? They voted for me just to get rid of Kane. Right now they are cursing that they didn’t come up with this idea first and plotting how they can make me withdraw my name so they can use this vote of no confidence for themselves.”

 

She felt him grumble an affirmative hum. They lapsed into companionable silence that lasted so long that Clarke was almost drifting to sleep where she sat.

 

“It’s just temporary Clarke, just till we’re ready for a full Open Election... it’ll only be a few months I promise ”

“I know.”

“...It’s a good thing anyway if we’re going to try and firm up alliances with the Grounders. They already think you’re our leader this just legitimises things. Echo says they are all scared shitless of you...she didn’t say it like that but that’s what she meant”

She hums noncommittally wondering who he’s trying to convince right now her or himself. Suddenly she feels a warm arm drop around her shoulders and she realises that she’s been shivering in the cold night air.

“I won’t let you do it on you own Y’know? I’ll be here too” She feels him sigh before he says. “...it was tough without you.”

She hears the “I missed you” he doesn’t quite say and turns her head to burrow her cold nose against the warm crook of his neck, making him yelp in surprise which in turn caused her to make a noise that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.

“Jesus Clarke! is that your nose or an iceblock?! Get that thing away from me!”

He makes a play of shoving her away but keeps his arm  firmly around her shoulder.

“C’mon lets get you to some warm before you freeze and they blame me for the death of another Chancellor.”

“Really?”

“What? To soon?”

 

He helps her down off the crate after it becomes clear she’s stiffened in her scrunch position. Together they begin a slow trek back to warmth of the Ark.

“Soooo who’s this Echo person?”She asks knowing full well who she is having gotten the full run down from O earlier...but she asks anyway just to see him stutter and blush. Which he does much to her delight.

As they start to get closer to the main lights of the Ark she grabs his hand stopping them.

“ How did you know about the Charter Bell? About the vote of no confidence?”

He looks back at her his breath fogging in the cold night. He shrugs carelessly

“I’ve read the Charter cover to cover, practically got the damn thing memorised. When O was small but big enough to run around, when it was driving me insane to see all her energy hemmed in our small room ...I was trying to find a loop hole.” He barks a bitter laugh “Obviously I never found one but least it’s coming in useful now right?”

She raises her hand to press a reassuring hand to his shoulder.

“You did the best you could Bell and your right at least its coming in handy now. I need you to find something in it to give Marcus some administrative powers and I need you to stop giving him such a hard time.”

“Claaaarke”

“I’m serious Bell, I know you two don’t get on but he’s one of the few I trust and he knows how to run the government side of things for us”

“WE know how to run things! You can’t be serious! Clarke he’s one of them!”

At this Clarke puts her hands on her hips and glares at him in frustration.

“Who is “them” Bellamy?Tell me? Who are you fighting against?The privileged? News flash Bell there are no ‘Privileged’ here on earth. For that matter do you not remember why you called me Princess?”

“I call you Princess, *Princess* Because you’re blonde and demanding and I spend a hell of a lot of my time running around after you open your mouth….but yeah ok Ok. I’ll try and play nice. Promise.”

She sighs “Thankyou.”

“I might already know something but let me check on it before you get too excited.” he muses  “The Chancellor use to have a deputy called the Vice but the position was essentially made redundant over the years by the council and the Seat for Logistics...as far as I can tell though it was never formally abolished. Do you know the word “vice” means “in place of” in Latin? he trails off when he see her staring at him “what?”

 

She can’t help her smile when she replies “Nothing...just..I missed you too Bell. I missed you and your nerd. Tell me more”

 

He ducked his head bashfully before slinging an arm around her shoulders and guiding her towards the light of camp.

 

“Sure. As long as we can hurry up and get outta this cold!”

 


	7. Alliances and Awkward Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is that old “ just wrote, just post” trick I do so much. So again sorry for any silly errors. A bit more Clexa-ness in this chapter (although they still aren't in the same city.)
> 
> Grumpy-pants Indra is one of my fav’s and she’s been dealt a pretty crappy hand in the show... so I wanted to give her something back. Plus I didn’t want Lexa to be the Skaikru’s only backer.
> 
> Also I just need to say that I love that “Flabbergasted’ is a legit word and a love that writing lets me use it.
> 
> As always, you know I love it when you comment! Please tell me what you think!

Chapter 7: Alliances and Awkward Revelations

 

The small group cautiously followed the Trikru guard to through the gates of TonDC as Indra strode out to meet them.

 

“So we meet again Klark Kom Skaikru ..sooner than I had hoped.” Greeted the fierce woman with a scowl. Clarke however was beginning to think Octavia was right, she swore she saw a smidge of warm respect buried under the scowl.

 

Clarke bumped her fist to her chest in what was now familiar gesture.

 

“General. Thankyou for agreeing to meet with me.” The blonde responded trying not to squirm under the tattooed womans steely glare.  “Circumstances among my people have changed and we need to talk”

 

“Talk is all you Skaikru ever seem to want to do…”  Indra replied dryly with what Clarke could only describe as a long suffering sigh..

 

“Come then. I will show you of the repair work to my village as we talk. Some feel it could benefit from Skaikru metal.” The woman smirked darkly “ I foresee you needing MANY hunting lessons.”

 

Indra and Clarke toured the wreckage and the building work side by side pausing here and there to inspect the more significant work. Octavia trailing a respectful distance behind something Indra made no comment on. It soon became clear the imposing woman wasn’t going to contribute anything further and seeing no need to hedge with Indra Clarke got straight to the point.

 

“I have been made temporary Leader of my people - The Chancellor. ” the blonde stated as she watched a string of six grounders form a chain to shift yet more stones and debris.

 

Indra barely spared her a glance before continuing to survey the works in front of her.

“You were already the Leader of your people” she said it as a statement.

 

Clarke frowns though she knows this is a firmly held belief amongst the Grounders “I wasn’t and I’m not ...not really. Our leaders are elected not chosen like yours and I have never been elected.” she says quietly to the other woman.

 

Indra turns to regard her fully.“We are what we are. Even if your people cannot see it.”

 

Clarke sighed. She feeling the weight of that statement on her shoulders and hears the echo of Lexa’s voice in her mind.

 

“You would be wise to keep such sentiments to yourself among my people Prisa. Among the Trigedakru you are either leader or you are not. Sharing your doubts will only end in trouble for you and your people.”

 

Clarke knew she was right. The Trikru respected strength,really she shouldn’t have even confessed as much to Indra but she’d felt reassured in the older womans familiar presence.

 

“ You are right. Thank you for your…council Indra” The General inclined her head in acknowledgement. “ I suppose telling you that I’m the Chancellor not a Princess falls under the same category?” Clarke asked wryly

 

“Just as fate calls us, it often decides *what* to call us. I wish you luck trying to argue with it.”

 

Clarke wanted ask whether Indra meant arguing with Fate or arguing with her people but decided to leave it.

 

“It is good you’ve come.” Indra continued “I too have things to discuss with you.”  

 

Clarke nodded. “Yes, I also have other news to talk to you about... It’s about the Reapers” The effect was instantaneous, the older woman once more closing off  and Clarke shared a quick glance with Octavia.

 

“We can talk in my hut. Our Council place has yet to be rebuilt.” She paused to study Octavia for a beat before reaching a decision “your guard may come inside if she prefers”

 

Indra’s hut was a simple and sturdy affair. Divided into two sections one area that was clearly a living area with table and what looked like a stove in the corner. The other area Clarke guessed to be a bedroom but it was concealed by a wooden screen so a guess is all it was.

 

What did surprise Clarke were the personal touches and the cosy warmth of the place. There were nicknacks for crying out loud. The blonde did her best to school her features.

 

The older warrior pulled out a chair indicating that the blonde should sit as well. She ignored Octavia who took up position by the door.

 

“Tell me of the Reapers” She demanded

 

“When you entered the tunnels you subdued four” Replied Clarke cutting right to the chase.

 

“Yes I remember the plan was the Skaikru were to try and treat them after the battle. Then the retreat sounded. Your people left with them, at the time I thought this the best course as if they remained with us all we could give them would have been a swift death. Then the reports came that the Skaikru with them had been captured and I assumed the worst, the Maun had nothing to gain by keeping those Reapers.”

 

Clarke nodded her understanding and picked up the story where Indra had finished.

 

“The Mountain men captured my people and left the four unconscious reapers bound where they lay.” The blonde gave a rueful smile “As it happens its the most direct path back to Camp Jaha from the Mountain. So after….after the mountain’s fall, when we were on our path home, we came across the reapers again. One of them was already dead, probably from his wounds, the rest we brought back home with us.

 

Indra was silent but her eyes were fierce with what she wouldn’t ask.

 

“Two died from withdrawals and one survived however he soon slipped into a coma.” Clarke hesitates before adding “He is one that Octavia reported that you appeared to recognise in the tunnels”

 

Indra stood suddenly and paced to the other side of the room. She clenched her fists in agitation.

 

Spinning to face Clarke she asks “What does that mean then?! I do not know this word ‘coma’ ”

 

“It means he is unconscious and has remained asleep without waking. However my people have ways of feeding a sleeping person, he will live as long as we continue to do so.” Replies Clarke cautiously

 

“Will he wake?”

 

“We don’t know” Says Clarke softly “He was exposed to the Red a lot longer than Lincoln and he was a lot less stable. My mother thinks the coma could be a good thing, that it’s the bodies way of repairing the damage done. His vitals have gotten progressively stronger since he’s been in it and some of the growths have reduced and disappeared. However she is worried that it has gone on so long. The longer a coma lasts the less likely it is that the patient will wake.”

 

Indra put her hand over her eyes for a moment before scrubbing at her face and sighing.

 

“Milo is strong. He will wake……” She lets her hands drop away from her face to regard Clarke again. If Clarke notices any dampness in the other womans eyes she was careful not to mention it.

 

“He is the Stone-man’s son.” She then says matter of factly

 

Clarke felt her eyebrows rise in surprise. Not only at Indra’s candor but at the confession itself. Seeing Clarke’s expression Indra chuckled.

 

“He was a Summer Love not a Lasting Love...Still he was good man and he gave me a good son. Milo was fierce and brave and didn’t fear the Mountain which ended up costing him his life...or so I thought”

 

Tiredly the older woman dropped back into the chair across from Clarke and regarded her with a strange expression.

 

“You are a very dangerous woman Klark kom Skaikru.”

 

Not sure how she was expected to respond Clarke remained quiet.

 

“Hope left me many winters ago. Hope was for the naive, a fairytale we tell our children so that they will be strong... but it was a lie all the same. How should I have hope with my goufa stolen? Chief of a people living in the shadow of a Mountain that took and killed as it willed?...” Indra’s gaze had been introspective as she talked but now she caught Clarke’s gaze again.

 

“....and yet now here you sit a strange harbinger of hope as if sent from the sky by the gods themselves. You felled a mountain and now ...” She breaks her gaze from Clarke and again stares into space “.. and now you return Milo. I find myself once again filled with hope and THAT Klark kom Skaikru is a very dangerous thing in this world” She gives another weary sigh and Clarke thinks the woman sounds as tired as she feels.

 

“ I am conflicted Prisa. In one instance you Sky-children have taken much, killed many..but I also cannot ignore the freedom you have given my people and now I can’t ignore what you have given me.”

 

Clarke can’t bear it. “He’s not awake yet Indra. He might not….”

 

The brunette waves her off “ I am aware.  Even if he should not wake he is no longer rotting in the mountain and if he passes he will pass as himself and not a monster.”

 

The woman nods to herself as if reaching a decision and then stands heading over to a cupboard in the corner.

 

“I will do what I can to assist you.” She pulls out two cups, a jug and a wrapped bundle before returning to the table. “Wada?” she asks holding up the jug.

“Sha.. beja”

Indra raises an eyebrow at Clarkes clumsy use of Trigedasleng and proceeds to unwrap the bundle revealing some dried meat and nuts.

 

“ North Edge and Skaikru have found peace and while I have sent word of this to Heda you must officially confirm this, any alliance with Trikru is really an alliance with her.” Clarke swallows hard and takes a sip of her drink. Indra regards her contemplatively before continuing “ And what of your standing with other Clans? The Eastern edge of your “Veil-land” skirts the Stedakru (Horse people) just as Trikru’s does. Behind the mountain lies the Azgeda (Ice Nation) and to the south, though Trikru land does separate you the Floukru (Boat people) are but a stones throw away.”

 

Clarke sees where this is going “We must make alliances is what you are saying? We already hope too…”

 

The General huffs in impatience “No I’m saying more than that. You must go to Polis, speak to Heda and become part of the Coalition of Clans, the thirteenth. You will never know peace until you do. There will alway be those who desire what you have, your technology, your Veil-land your mountain stronghold...It is our way, to take by strength what we need or desire but I have seen that it is not your way so therefore, for your peoples continued existence you must form these connections with us.”

 

Clarke’s mind stalled for a moment. Polis. Lexa. She dreaded meeting the other woman again. Her heart screams that she just wants to stay as far away as possible. Yet her mind tells her that Indra was right. Head not Heart.

 

“You are right. We need to be part of the coalition, not only as we can’t afford more war but because we are also still learning to live on the ground. ..” Agrees Clarke readily.

 

“Good. Since the forming of the Coalition, the Clan Heads always meet at each turning of the seasons the - Seasonal Sitting. It falls on the first full moon of the season. I will be travelling to attend as I will represent the Trikru. We may travel together I will show you the way”

 

“Isn’t Le..Heda of the Trikru?”

 

“It is true she hails from the Trikru originally and heads our Clan but since her ascendancy to Commander she is more than Trikru …And as such she acts independent from us in these meetings.Appointing one of her Generals as representative for such councils.”

 

Bellamy had told Clarke, while showing off his history nerd, that he thought the title of The Commander was a remnant from before the Cataclysm . That before the bombs the President of the country they had landed in was also known as “The Commander in Chief” and this position was the ultimate authority especially in times of conflict.  While Clarke had trouble reconciling the type of “President”  the Wallace’s were to what Lexa was, she was beginning to see the truth in this. She was also beginning to see the structure of the Grounders more clearly too. The clans were like the States and the term “Trigedakru” while meaning tree people was used in context of the collective that made up the “nation” Lexa Commanded. Trikru which also meant tree people referred to the specific woods clan ‘state’.

 

Indra looks over Clarke critically.

 

“You need more braids” Clarke reaches up to her hair and touches it self consciously “And better clothes..”

 

“What? Whats wrong with my clothes”

 

“You are a Leader are you not? You need to convey ...swag” at Clarkes confused look Indra clearly searches her vocabulary the english equivalent “...high standing?”

Octavia ever the Sky to Ground translator throws in “Status, you need to show status Clarke.” The brunette who until now had been quietly standing by the door now narrowed her eyes at the blonde in contemplation.

“Don’t worry Bell and  I can probably sort it. Should it be anything in particular?” She asks her ex-first

Indra gives her a doubtful look. Causing Octavia to jut her chin out.

“Our Nomon was a seamstress…Its all I ever did in the sky.” Indra’s expression is unreadable for a moment before it clears and she nods. Meanwhile Clarke was trying to shake the confusing visual of Bellamy with needle and thread in hand.

“I will describe some and show you some of my own. Perhaps trade you some skins and leather for it” Octavia nods.

 

They discussed the details of the journey and when they should leave. Indra recommends getting there at least a week before hand so that the sky people could get familiar with the city and perhaps form relations with some of the other clans before the official meeting as many arrive early in order to trade and enjoy the city.

 

It was as they were leaving, waiting for the rest of their party to be done helping around TonDC that they noticed a social looking gathering seated around a fire pit located on the edge of town. They were rowdy eating, drinking and telling what appeared to be stories.

 

“Some of the Gonas haven’t returned to their clans yet, the ones that the travel would be hard. Most are Azgada apparently heading into winter isn’t a great time to travel to Ice..but there are more than a few from other clans as well. C’mon put this on” Octavia says rummaging in a pack and pulling out a cloak “ Let’s listen while we wait! Some of the stories are brilliant. Last time I heard one about a guy wrestling a Pauna bare handed without pants…”

 

Clarke laughed “Really?” Holding up the cloak she asked “What’s this for?”

 

“Because blondey you’re just a tad too recognizable, cover your hair. Sometimes they tell stories about you too you know. You’re kind of a thing taking out the mountain.”

 

Clarke shuts down. “I don’t want to hear about that”

“Look you won’t! If that’s the story they are telling then we’ll leave. But it looks like Cooper and his boys are going to be a while longer and this is an entertaining way to spend the time.”

 

Clarke concedes that Cooper will probably be a while. She can see him scratching a plan in the dirt, talking to a grounder that she doesn’t recognise while his team join in hefting what looks like a T-beam up on one of the rebuilt buildings.

 

She puts on the cloak and follows Octavia who is already slipping to the back of the group.

 

It doesn’t take long after beginning to listen for her brain to stutter to an alarmed stop.

“W-What the hell O ?!” she hisses at her friend

“Shhh shhh don’t ruin it! This is hilarious! Its just getting to the good bit”

“You mean you’ve heard this before!” squeaks Clarke

“Well no not this particular one...but there is a whole bunch out there.” says her friend her eyes dancing.

Clarke listens red faced and wide eyed as a six foot bearded grounder goes into far more detail about herself , Lexa and a certain map table than Clarke is comfortable with.

“That DID NOT happen!!” She says looking at Octavia wildly.

“Of course not! Look I know there is no way in hell you’d do anything with Commander Bitchface its just the grounders having a bit of fun” reassures the brunette

Clarke can’t help it she winces at how emphatic Octavia is and she’s sure she looks guilty and then she’s thinks on the kiss and she feels flustered. Great now she feels flustered and guilty and Octavia is looking right at her and sure enough the girls look of mirth is transforming to one of open mouthed shock.

“Oh my god! Something DID happen!” she punches Clarke on the arm.

“Wha..no..” Clarke tries weakly to defend herself.

Before she can form a coherent sentence Octavia is dragging her further out into the forest and away from prying ears

“Clarke Griffin so help me god you better start spilling the beans. Right Now.”

Clarke just looks at her helplessly

“Well? C’mon did you two get it on or not?”

“No! We didn’t “get it on” She says grumpily

“You better not be lying to me!” Says Octavia looking her stubborn best and Clarke decides to come clean.

“We didn’t!.... we just kissed ok? it was just one kiss!”

Octavia just stares at her flabbergasted clearly not expecting an affirmative response.

Clarke suspects that this conversation won’t be brief so she finds a convenient rock and sits. After recovering from her open mouth shock Octavia takes a seat next to her.

“So when you say you kissed…”

Clarke glares

“You know what a kiss is Octavia….As in me..her...lips” there is a vague hand gesture accompanying her words

“No No I mean yeah I know what a kiss is I just meant was it a  “we” in that “we kissed”  Or did she just kiss you and you were like an innocently kissed bystander…”

Clarke raises an eyebrow at her friend

“Seriously?”

“What? I just know she’s like that and I didn’t think you were soooo …”

Clarke narrows her eyes

“What do mean “like that” and no it was definitely a WE kissed.”

“C’mon you know what I mean...gay. I’m just saying I’m super hot yet you haven’t tried to get in my pants once this entire time! and you were with Finn... so y’know all evidence pointed to you being “not like that”...but its cool if you are! Totally cool” she hurries to clarify.

“You’re super modest as well” comments Clarke dryly

The girl shugs “or Reyes she hot too if she’s more your thing...”

“O”

“What I’m just making a point!

“Its not like that..I...its just its different with her alright? Sides both you and Raven were off limits for various reasons ”

“What reasons!”

Clarke looks at Octavia incredulously “ I think you’re taking this a little to personally. Reasons of Six foot two, strapping biceps and answers to the name of Lincoln?”

“Oh yeah”

They are quiet for a moment as Octavia digests this new bit of information.

“So you guys kissed.. as in both parties voluntarily moving their lips”

Clarke thinks about and sighs in remembrance

“yeah”

Octavia grins at the blondes expression.

“It musta been some kinda kiss.. makes me think tall and beardy wasn’t all that far from the truth with that map table business”

“O” whines Clarke but the trouble is she can visualise that table perfectly and while it didn’t happen like that, sometimes she lets her mind drift so that it DID. She realises that she’s blushing and grinning like a fool and then she remembers how it all ended and frowns hard.

Octavia is watching her face her own brow furrows

“But she betray you” she comments astutely.

“yeah” Clarke sighs and this time not the happy kind.

They sit there for a bit before Octavia clears her throat

“Look I know I gave you a hard time in the past...and trusting Lexa was part of that. But you know its not on you right? We needed her army and you had no reason to doubt her word Anyone else in your position would have made the same call.”

“Would they? I can’t help but think maybe I just saw what I wanted to see that I was blind to the truth. She never hid that her people always came first. I just, I just didn’t want to see what that meant.”

“ Saying her people come first and breaking her word a two different things Clarke. Grounders place a lot of value on their verbal contracts. Being an Oathbreaker is right up there with being a natrona...So her breaking hers? No one coulda predicted that.”

“Maybe”

“What…” The brunette hesitates before asking “What about you?”

The blonde looks to her friend “What about me?”

The girl shrugs “We’ve talked about her breaking her word to our people...but what about you? did she break her word to you too? Were you guys like a thing? or was it all just “in the heat of the moment” stuff?”

Clarke sighs yet again and looks at her hands

“I don’t think so.”

“Clarke!”

“What?”

The brunette just glares at her

“ I don’t think she did! We weren’t a thing...I think she wanted to be but I-I told her I wasn’t ready. I told her not yet.” She says not meeting Octavia’s eyes

“You turn her down so she goes out and stabs you in the back. Nice.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Wasn’t it? Don’t make excuses for her. It was a shit move.”

“It’s not like she knew when she was kissing me that it was all going to go to shit later. I don’t think me turning her down mattered either...at the door she asked me to go to Polis with her.”

Clarke stares out to surrounding forest letting the gentle breeze ruffling her hair sooth her. Octavia waited patiently by her side as she gathered her thoughts.

“I’ve thought about it a lot O and by a lot I mean endlessly. What else could she have done?”

“Uh I don’t know Clarke maybe stuck to the damn plan?!” Says the other girl hotly

“Maybe. But then how many of her people would have died? I never want to feel like I did in that moment, that moment when she looked right at me and told me that they were leaving... It was like everything just bottomed out you know?” She’s twisting her sleeve harshly in her hands  “And god it makes me hate her! I hate that she made me feel like that! I hate that she put me in a position where I had to..had to...do what I did.” She can’t even bring herself to say it  “I hate her so much its like a physical thing sitting in my gut…. But then I don’t. I don’t hate her because I can’t because I made the same choice. I said 44 of my people were worth more than 360 mountain people….just because they were mine. MY people therefore their lives mattered more.”

“No Clarke…”

“Its true”

“Its different! We never had an Alliance with them! We were at war! they were killing us! they were DRILLING us!”

“What about all those people who helped us within the mountain?What about Maya? Pretty sure they helped us on the understanding we’d spare them. We had our own kind of alliance that we broke Octavia.”

They fall into silence.

“I hate her so much…..and yet I kinda miss her at times like this.” confesses Clarke into the ensuing silence. Octavia pats Clarkes knee.

“Pretty sure that because you don’t really hate her….”

They let the peace of forest comfort them before Octavia sighs

“So Polis is going to be fun for you huh?”

Clarke groans and drops her head into her hands

“Don’t reminded me. Maybe its not too late for me to run away and become a hermit.”

“You tried that already remember?”

“Oh yeah” Clarke nudges her friends shoulder  “This time don’t ruin it by coming after me!”

“Nah Princess you can do this” Says the younger girl with a confidence Clarke doesn’t feel.

“I gottcha back. We’ll deck you out in some awesome new gear, you’ll go in there with your head held high looking all hot and princessy and show Commander Panda that she’s made the biggest fucking mistake of her life…”

Clarke hummed in acknowledgement.

“Pandas ARE the white ones with the black spots on their eyes right?”

“Yeah O”

“Hey don’t take that tone. No formal education? lived in a floor? Remember?”

“How could I ever forget?”

They fall silence again.

“That simple huh?”

“Yup that simple.”

 

 


	8. Princesses & Polis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baaack again! As always sorry for the delay. I thought about trying to incorporate some of the season 3 trailers in this but in the end I was like “screw it” I’ve got a plan (it should be about 20 chapters all told) and obviously I am NOT going to be finished before season 3 comes out so who cares what the show writers are ACTUALLY doing? (YAY season 3!) Sides hate to say it but you can bet your bottom dollar you’ll probably get more Clexa with me than the show ;P
> 
> For those who reviewed you are all awesome and I love your words! :)

Chapter 8 - Princesses & Polis

 

Lexa stood at the window gazing out at Polis, at hearing the expected party approach in the hall outside she quickly paced back to the centre of the room ready to meet them. The main doors opened wide and in walked a woman in her forties, she was dressed in loose clothing, her neck was adorned with elaborate beaded necklaces and chunky metal bracelets jingled at her wrists as she walked. She strode into the centre of the room with poise and confidence her two guards hanging back to take up position by the door.

“Greetings from the Floudonkru Heda” Said the woman formally gripping Lexa’s forearm in the traditional Trigedakru greeting. Lexa returned her grip and inclining her head in return.

““Greetings Admiral Luna” The woman shared a slight smile before the older womans gaze flickered to the third woman in the room.

“And Greetings to my own niece! This is a surprise” She comment he gaze cutting sharply back to Lexa to study her intently. At her address Kyra moved to stand beside Lexa.

“For me as well Aunt..and yet here we are” she comments wryly though she is clearly pleased to see her Aunt again. Lexa feels satisfaction thrill through her, since the war at the Mountain and her decision to live not just survive she had slowly been trying to repair her relationship with Kyra and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to continue the process. Three years ago when she’d severed ties from those she was close to,she’d barred Kyra from such meetings, shunning contact with her friend at the expense of her friends contact with her home clan.

“If it is such a problem for you both you are more than welcome to take your leave Kyra.” She comments letting affectionate irritation colour her voice.

“Nonsense Alexandria. It's a surprise but a welcome one.” Intercedes Luna smoothly. There were only a handful of souls on this earth who could get away with calling her Alexandria and not her title. Admiral Luna of the Boat people was one of them, though not even her in recent times. Luna had earnt the right through Kyra and their growing together in Polis. The Admiral had known her since she was a goufa, all scrawny limbs and hot temper. In fact it was Luna who had taught Lexa to swim on the sandy shores of Bour the main village of the Floudonkru. It is hard to insist on formality when someone has seen you half drowned . Lexa ducks her head at the kind smile directed at her, in that moment more Lexa than Heda. 

“I thought it time to mend my fences Luna and I thought you would prefer a quieter welcome to Polis than a public one. How was your journey?” murmurs Lexa in the face of the warm smiles being directed at her by both Boat kin. If anything Luna’s smile widens at her words

“Better late than never yongon!” She replies in response to lexa’s comment. Easing herself down onto one of the waiting chairs the older woman leans back with a sigh  “ and good though I think my bones are getting old, they ache in this blasted cold.”

“Oh Hush Aunt you’re not old at all” said Kyra with a roll of her eyes as she stepped forward to pour the waiting tea for both her Aunt and Lexa. Luna only grunts in acknowledgement of her words but sends her niece a rueful grin before focusing back on Lexa.

“What news? What Clans have already arrived?”

Matching Luna’s relaxed pose Lexa leans back before replying.

“ The Stonhefkru (Stone-man Clan) was first then the Sinkdaun (Marshland folk) and the Sankru (Desert People). Your arrival last night makes four Clans already here more than week ahead of Clan Council….The Trikru & Skaikru travel together and should reach the gates in the next few days”

 

“Really? The Skaikru are coming to Polis? Does that mean the Sky Princess seeks to join the coalition? Will you allow it?” Luna asks studying her intently.

 

Lexa frowns

 

“Of course I will allow it if that is what she seeks. I encourage all Clans to join the coalition. Together we are strong, as fractured groups we are weak squabbling mess.”

 

The Admiral holds up a placating hand.

 

“I am aware of your stance and as you know Floudonkru have always been strong backers of peace. Trade is better when borders are safe to pass. However it is also known your history with the Skaikru is….fraught. Word of what transpired at the mountain is known. You cannot blame the Clan heda for watching this alliance dubiously.”

 

Lexa sighed her decision at the Mountain was destined to haunt her “What happened at the Mountain was unfortunate. It was not how I wanted to proceed with our new allies, believe me Luna, when I say abandoning them was the last thing I wished but my options were few.” Lexa sees Kyra smirk out of the corner of her eye. She continues before the other girl can open her mouth “It does mean however that I am trying to be ...accommodating to ensure their continued alliance with the Trigedakru.” Lexa taps her fingers on the arm of her chair, a small outlet for the  restless energy that she normally does well at hiding. “ The alternative is they become our enemies and I have seen first hand the tenacity of the Skaikru, despite their small numbers they are not an enemy we would want. Especially now that they’ve won a mountain stronghold.”

 

‘You did not have to gift them the Mountain” Replies the Admiral still relaxed in her chair but Lexa can sense a coiled tension in the other woman.

 

Lexa waves the comment off dismissively “Of course I did. I could do nothing else if I did not want war. They were on North Edge Land, they needed somewhere to go and they had taken it in war without Trikru assistance, we had no claim.”

 

“My point precisely Heda by all accounts we abandon them in their time of need’ Lexa bristled but said nothing.  “ They now have a mountain why would they want to befriend us now? “ The older woman scratched her ear thoughtfully, the bangles jingling as she did so ‘It just doesn’t add up to this old Trader.”

 

Lexa sighs and looks out the windows “For the same reason I made peace with the Azgada after...everything ” She ignores the sympathetic looks the other women are now giving her. “The Skaikru will make peace now despite the past because Clarke is in charge and Clarke has only ever wanted one thing - peace for her people. She knows what war will cost and it is a price she is unwilling to pay. So she will put aside any personal feelings from the past for her people's prosperity….but I don’t for a moment believe it means she will forgive us, forgive me for the  past transgressions.”

 

Luna takes another slow sip of tea as the thinks on what she has been told “This Prisa is a wise leader then by the sounds of it, more aligned with the Boat People’s way than some of the other hotheads you’ve dragged to the table. However if she is motivated out of necessity will the Skaikru be a reliable ally?”

 

Lexa narrowed her eyes at the implications in Luna’s words it was slight but the older woman inferred that not all allies were allies. Laying more weight to all she’d learned since her return to Polis. Lexa decided to be forthright, the Floundonkru had be stalwart allies with the Trikru for the better part of a century and Luna herself was almost kin “From all accounts more reliable than some already in the Coalition. Tell me Admiral what do you know of the rumors?”

 

In the quiet pause Luna takes to gather her thoughts Lexa suddenly notices that there was a change in the noises coming from outside. There bubbling hum of people was louder than normal. From this room she could always hear the hum drum of Polis, the squark of children the creak of carts the shouts of traders but now she could hear what sounded like a crowd gathering. Curious she split her focus from Luna to hail a guard over.

 

“Something is happening outside. Find out what it is and report back immediately” The man gave a curt nod before disappearing. As he swept out the door Ryder’s eyes met hers and he moved a few paces closer despite her small shake of her head.

 

As long as Commander had existed so had the Servis, personal guard of Heda. Gustas had been the head of her Servis another reason why his betrayal had stung her so deeply. During the Mountain Lexa had been impressed with Ryders loyalty and commitment to his orders and feeling the loss of Gustus she had promoted from gona at TonDC to her Servis. He had taken up the position with a solemn intensity.

 

“ You know as well as I do that there is rumored splinter factions within the coalition. You cannot appease all and there are some who are envious of what their neighbours have.” The older woman shrugs her shoulders carelessly “There will always be those who want more than they have..and they will always make trouble”

 

Lexa frowns.

 

“What I speak of is more than idle notions of greed and you know it.”

 

“What would you like me to say Heda? Are you asking me do I think any of them have the stones to break the Coalition?” She absent mindedly twists a bangle round her wrist  “Not on there own...no. But the irony here is you have taught them cooperation for a common goal and now I fear they’ll use it against you.”

 

Lexa was about to answer when suddenly there was a roar from the suspected crowd outside making Lexa take to her feet Luna and Kyra joining her, heads cocked to the side listening. It was then she could make out some kind of chant. Spinning on her heel she marched to the door that lead to a balcony throwing it wide open to look out at the street below.

 

As soon as she was outside she could hear what the crowd was chanting. Prisa! Prisa! Prisa!

 

She turns on her heel to speak to Kyra only to see a sheepish looking guard.

 

“Heda, word has just reached us that the Skaikru and Trikru approach the gates of Polis…” He coughs awkwardly

 

“Really? It seems word has also just reached me! Do we not have scouts? Guards? Do we now just let large parties of people march up to our gates uncontested?” She’s over reacting she knows it but she wasn’t ready. She was not prepared.

 

“Easy Heda Chil daun” murmurs Kyra clearly seeing the panic in Lexa’s eyes.

 

\------------

 

Clarke was staring in terrified awe as the large gates that made up the entrance to Polis swung open to reveal a street lined with more people than she’d ever seen in one place. People chanting “Princess” people chanting for HER. She swung her wide gaze to Indra sitting regally on a black stallion looking as aggravatingly nonplussed as usual. Indra just quirked an eyebrow with a reluctant sigh.

 

“Well I’m glad I gave you the nicer horse now I almost made you ride the donkey" At Clarkes half hearted glare, she gives a loose one shouldered shrug “... with the way you ride you’d have not known the difference.” She said as snarky as ever “Come then, with all this fuss Heda is undoubtedly waiting... and by the Gods pick up your jaw and try and look like the princess they think you to be.”

 

With that small reminder Clarke straightened her spine and sat with as much bravado as she could muster. She mentally thanked her friends for her new coat which gave her a confidence she didn’t feel. She would always remember coming to Raven’s workshop one night to see them all working on it. Octavia and Bellamy their nimble fingers stitching the new leather jacket. Monty was there mixing dyes (apparently blue is one of the hardest dyes to create but her little family had unanimously decided that it was an imperative colour to her “Sky Princess” Outfit) Raven was there cutting and soldering metal.

 

The end result was a “triumph” (Bellamy’s words not hers but she wholeheartedly agreed) It was a long length tailored leather jacket that did great things for her figure and this was despite her chasing Bellamy’s waggling eyebrows and tape measure bearing hands away from her waist during its creation. The jacket was black but the interior was midnight blue which was visible when the jacket was open and at the collar. On her shoulder sat a bronzey gold pauldron. It was made from some alloy salvaged off the ark that Raven had beaten into shape like a blacksmith. The same metal was used to cuff her wrists and tipped the toes of her black combat boots. The final touch was a thin braided wire of gold around her head. In the centre of the braid was a miniaturized version of the Chancellor's pin the icon sitting in the middle of her forehead much like the bronze cog Lexa sometimes worn. 

 

Initially she felt a little like she was playing dress ups. Now however she drew strength from her outfit. Though all to soon and definitely way before she was really ready there stood Lexa, decked out in full Commander attire, black jacket, the full black pauldron and red cloak, no war paint because they were now in a time of peace, but the little copper cog was in place.

 

Lexa gestured for the crowd to be quiet and at her waved command they fell silent.

 

“General Indra kom Triku kom North Edge” Lexa inclined her head in what Clarke consider to be an aggravatingly regal nod before turning her regard on Clarke.

 

“Skai Prisa….Welcome to Polis” At her words the watching crowd went crazy, whooping and cheering.

 

“Commander” Clarke tried her best to mimic Lexa’s earlier nod  “Thankyou for your welcome…..” Clarke replied just as formally once the buzz of the crowd had died down "You know that my people call me the Chancellor.” She mutters quietly to the other girl so the crowd couldn’t hear her.

 

“and my people, it would seem, call you Princess” replied Lexa with an arched brow and a light shrug and as if to make a point the crowds behind them started up their call again  “Come. If you follow me I will show you to a place you and your party may rest for the evening”

 

They walked the remaining street together to the calls of Heda! Heda! Prisa! Heda! Clarke wondered if all Commanders enjoyed such exalted adoration from their people or if it was just something Commander Alexandria inspired. Clarke suspected it was just Lexa, Marcus had called her a visionary...and well she certainly inspired some form of adoration in Clarke, but the blonde was pretty sure that was a whole other thing entirely.

 

Polis it turned out was built into the skeleton of an old city from before the Cataclysm. The bones of great buildings reached up into the sky and Clarke stared at them with wide eyes. It was clear the city had suffered from both the bombs and time, only the core of structures seemed to remain but the grounders had built back into them, renovating them and adapting them untill they were once more livable buildings even if it was only the bottom couple of stories.

 

All on all it was impressive and together with the sheer number of people a little overwhelming for a girl from the sky. She felt her heart beat thundering in her chest and her hands felt clammy. Thankfully someone had taken the reins of her horse earlier. Suddenly there was a warm presence by her shoulder. The Commander said nothing but walked close enough that their arms occasionally brushed as she waved to the crowd. Clarke was sure it was intentional, just as she could read Lexa, Lexa could read her. She had no doubt that the other girl could see the barely contained terror and was offering the best support she could. Or perhaps she was once again reading too much into it amended the blonde bitterly.

 

Soon they arrived at an enormous building with a large set of steps.

 

“This is our Clan House it’s where we conduct the business of running the Clans. Those Clans who do not have more permanent residences here in Polis stay here. All our meetings are held within its walls.”

 

“What about you? Do you stay here?” Clarke found herself wondering out aloud before she thought to filter herself.

 

Lexa inclined her head in a slow nod “ I do. I have rooms within the opposite wing from Clan accommodation…”

 

At least that meant they would be unlikely to run into each other Clarke hoped

 

“ I will leave you to get settled. Thank you for coming to Polis I look forward to planning a strong future for our peoples in the coming weeks” and then in a swirl of red cape the commander turned on her heel and was gone.

 

As Clarke stared open mouthed in the wake of the other girl’s sudden departure she noticed one of the Guard hang back. Looking closer she suddenly recognised the man. Ryder! Holding her gaze the gona bumped his fist to his chest once before giving her a nod and spinning to follow his leader. 

  
  


\--------

 

Lexa paced. It wasn’t fitting of a leader and she heard Anya in her head telling her pull it together to lock down the nervous energy to hone it and store it for a better time.

 

but not even the strong voice of her dead mentor could get her soul to still tonight. For she had invited Clarke to her rooms. To what end she wasn’t sure, all she knew was she needed to know how things sat between them before she faced Clarke in the company of strangers. She could not stand the thought of enduring hours trapped within the same room saying nothing while the events of the mountain loomed between them like the literal meaning of the word.

 

Despite knowing she should not hope for Clarke’s forgiveness. Lexa found herself unable to help herself. She remembered back to a moment before the mountain where she’d caught the blonde watching fascinated as some warriors kneaded out some rough dough for damper. Unable to contain her own curiosity she asked the other girl what it was that held her attention.

  
  


“Uh what is that?” the blonde asked gesturing to the man kneading

“It is dough it will make damper”

“What’s damper?”

Lexa almost laugh but managed to hold on to her stoic facade. These Skaikru in so many ways were like the smallest goufa (child).

“It is a type of heavy bread” she replied instead

Clarke was still frowning brow furrowed. Lexa would deny it if asked but it was quite endearing. The blonde opened her mouth to say something but then clearly changed her mind shaking her head before smiling ruefully.

 

“Do you know that *that* is probably my favourite thing about being here on Earth?”

 

Lexa just watched the girl watching her warrior prepare their meal.

 

“The variety of just about everything…” she smirked “ but particularly the food. So many new things to try, to taste. I’ve never actually had bread before.” She confesses

 

Lexa just looked at the other girl in confusion.

 

“Then what did you eat in the sky?”

 

The girl gave a loose shrug  “stuff? Anything that could be produced in high yield high nutrient batches”

Now it was Lexa’s turn to be mystified though she was careful not to show it.

 

“I think it was mostly soy based but I’m not sure.... With space restrictions most grains were to low yield to sustain the ark…no fields in space. We had other vegetables though greens and potatos. Green leaf plants give off oxygen...”

 

The Gona the girl was watching began preparing what appeared to be a boar for the spit.

 

“... there was definitely no animals on the Ark though. We didn’t have enough oxygen or food for ourselves let alone animals...so I’d never had meat till we landed either.”

 

“No animals?”

 

“Nope”

 

A comfortable silence sprung up between them as they watched the warrior work Lexa mulled on what she’d been told.

 

“No animals?” She says again as she turns that concept over in her mind.

 

“yeah no animals…”

 

“That means you have never tried other things that come from animals…”

 

“Other things that come from animals?” echos Clarke dumbly

 

‘Yes like Cheese? Eggs? Honey?” Lexa rattles off.

 

The blonde blinked..

 

That had been the end of the conversation for they had been interrupted by Marcus Kane. They weren’t friends in fact at that point they were reluctant allies at best but that was the start of it. The start of Lexa subtly watching to see if Clarke was trying something new because now she knew to look for it. Initially it was just to see what she thought of the Damper but it escalated quickly.  From that point on Lexa had taken secret and entirely inappropriate pleasure in watching everytime Clarke ate something for the first time. The way the other girl would tentatively take a small mouthful at first. The widening of her eyes at the new taste and once she was more confident in it the small grin she’d get as she finished eating.

 

Which was why despite not expecting forgiveness she’d starting collecting a little horde of things for Clarke to try once she heard the other girl would be coming to Polis. She had some chestnuts, some dried fruit (apricots because even though they grew many miles from here and it wasn’t the season they were almost as good dried as they were fresh), several kinds of cheese, some sweets. There were many other things Lexa wanted to show Clarke but they were better fresh, like fish, spiced meats and finally but most importantly Honey Cakes she would acquire these now Clarke was here. If Clarke was receptive to her that is. Which led to the here and now.

 

She arranged the things on the plate one more time before sitting down only to stand up again and pace to the window before walking back and sitting down once more. Finally there was a knock on the door. She jumped to her feet before stilling herself, Anya’s stern voice in her mind tell her to find her centre. This time she tried to listen.

 

“Enter” She called.

 

Clarke entered cautiously taking in Lexa’s appearance first. The girl was dressed more casually than Clarke could ever remember seeing her, gone was the pauldron and war paint in its place was a soft tunic and sinfully tight pants.

 

Ignoring her host for the moment Clarke gaze roved over the rest of the room, a room she noted that was actually two rooms. Where she entered was a sitting room come study which reminded Clarke very much of Lexa’s war tent. Maps and artefacts littered the room while through open double doors she could see a bed in what was clearly Lexa’s sleeping quarters.

 

Turning her gazes back to the girl standing awkwardly in the middle of the room by a chair. Taking a deep breath she stepped forward.

 

“You wanted to see me?”

 

“Yes Klark ...please sit” Replied Lexa gesturing for the chair opposite hers with a small low table between them on which a plate of food sat . Doing as instructed Clarke sat feeling her heart tattoo a fast flighty rhythm against her chest. She consoled herself by watching the other girl fidget, well as much as the Commander ever fidgeted.

  
  


In fact the blonde had to stop herself from smirking as the longer she watched the other girl the more she fidgeted. Clarke had resigned herself to the fact that it was clear that Lexa would not be put off the inevitable discussion but she'd be damned if she was going to make it easy for the other girl.

 

She watched her counterpart drum out a frenetic rhythm on the chair's arm rests with quick fingers, her grey eyes tracking about the room as if looking for the start of the conversation. Clarke felt her own anger and hurt simmer, while intellectually she understood Lexa's choice, emotionally it was a whole different ball game. Her feelings felt ugly and powerful sitting heavy in her chest and she knew even before they started that this could end terribly. However she also thought that maybe the older girl was right, that this should probably be lanced before it had the chance to fester anymore than it had. She was not here for herself she was here for her people. Clarke was big enough to admit that if she was to do what she really wanted she wouldn't even be within five miles of the city let alone sitting across from the other girl. No she was here for her people, to negotiate for her people and that could hardly happen if she felt like lashing out every time she was faced with the Commander.

 

It was this thought that kept her in her seat silently staring at brunette seated across from her.

 

Lexa cleared her throat awkwardly

 

“Klark”

“Commander” She replies formally and watched as the other girl frown, cheering herself pettily for scoring the first hit.

“We are alone Klark... you know you may call me Lexa... as you have done in the past”

The blonde gives a forced nonchalant shrug and says with a smile that feels more like a dog baring its teeth than any true smile.

“ Well the past played out poorly for one of us now did it? So you'll forgive me if this time I'd like to try something new. We keep it professional. In fact perhaps you should address me as Chancellor”

Clarke watches the tightening around the Commander's eyes though her expression gives nothing else away, a fact which only served to make the blonde angrier. How dare she hold it together when Clarke herself felt like she was one word away from some kind of major melt down.

“As you wish Chancellor”

After it becomes clear that the blonde would not offer anything further the commander tried again

“I know you have not seen much of it yet but what did you think of Polis?”

 

Clarke sighs.

 

“Its ...impressive” she says flatly despite her anger because it was the truth and even though it would appear to the contrary she was trying to keep the discussion civil.

 

“I could show it to you if you would like?... there will be time before the Sitting” nothing in the other girls tone indicated she was nervous about such an offer but Clarke could tell she was.

 

“The Commander of the Twelve Clans has time to give guided tours now? Thanks but I'm sure we'll be fine our own”

 

There is a tightening around the eyes again and Clarke almost feels bad for shutting her down so thoroughly but at this point she'd rather land face first in a bear trap than be in the other girls presence for any extended time.

 

The woman opposite gives a stoic nod in understanding.

 

“Not me then...Someone else. Polis is like nothing you have ever encountered before I am sure. You would benefit from local knowledge.”

 

Clarke sullenly glares back she wonders how long the other girl will persist with this farce of a conversation. She is angry she wants to rage not talk about Polis. She sighs again.

 

“We'll see” is all she says

 

Lexa grits her teeth and looks away in annoyance. Clarke knows because she sees the muscles of her jaw jump, she gets a perverse satisfaction in noticing, it’s the little things with Lexa that give her away. Suddenly the brunette turns back to her and gestures to the plate between them.

 

“Are you hungry? Would you like to try...”

 

“I don't want to try your fucking fruit Lexa” Clarke snaps back cutting the other girl off having run out of patience entirely “Why am I here”

 

It's like time freezes for a moment. The girl opposite goes utterly still, she might as well have been turned to stone and the moment carries for six of Clarkes thundering heart beats. The blonde can tell the exact moment the Lexa gathers herself for battle. Never let it said the Commander was a coward.

 

“You are here Klark because I wanted to see you”

The blonde scoffs.

“AND because we must come to an understanding about the Mountain if we are to work together in the future to renew our peoples ties” she continues.

 

Clarke feels the anger thunder through her veins.

 

“An understanding? Oh I understand alright! You're an Oathbreaker” The blonde’s spinning mind latching onto the term Octavia had used “An Oathbreaker who broke her word to me and my people... sold our lives to save your own!”

 

Lexa hisses at the term and rears back as if struck, eyes flashing fire she responds before Clarke can continue.

 

“I thought you better than this! I thought you would have some small sliver of understanding but it is clear you do not. I am not asking you to forgive the choices I have made I am just asking you to understand and accept them.” by now it’s clear to Clarke that the other girl is just as angry as she is “ In order for you to forgive me it would mean I believed I was in error. I was not. Of the choices I had in that moment, on that joken (fucking) mountain it was the best one for MY people. Had we attacked as planned I would have lost in the very least, the same number of warriors as people you intended to rescue!” Lexa is controlled but vehement in her argument and when the other woman loses enough composure to curse some inner fire in Clarke rises to meet her. 

 

“You don't KNOW that!” Clarke shouts back “You should have stuck by us! We could of come up with something, anything but what you did! Hell as you're in the business of backstabbing wouldn't it have made more sense to turn on the god damn Mountain Men instead of me? Why didn't you just wait till you'd gotten your rescued people clear and come back and fought like you were supposed to! Like you'd promised!” Clarke had moved to the edge of her seat anger pushing her forward.

 

“I DID know that Klark! I’d lost six just at the door.” Lexa was also sitting forward staring intensely at the blonde as if willing her to understand “... And I had considered it but the moment was already lost! And what if we failed? What then? Risk retribution from the Mountain? More missiles? More fog? More Reapers? The deal covered the future, no Trigedakru would ever be taken again Klark! Your concern was for 44 people mine was thousands! Mothers, Fathers, their children, their children's children where would it end? I am my peoples vessel they must trust I will always put them first!...”

 

Clarke felt the fire leaving her and she sunk back down into her seat.

 

“I know.” she replies looking bleakly at the other girl. “I know and I do understand...more than you know” She swallows hard and shuts her eyes to hold back her tears “What I've done for my people is far worse than leaving 44 to die so thousands could live” She let out a shuddering breath before opening her eyes “ But how can I forgive you for your choice when it led to me making mine? A choice I can't ever forgive myself for?” She says her voice breaking.

 

Lexa looked back at her grey green eyes reflecting Clarke's own hurt.

 

“Then don't forgive me. Hate me if you must...if it helps...” She leans forward elbows on her knees as she looked at the blonde “But we must accept what has happened. We must be able to work together to build a better future for our people.”

 

Clarke gives a wet unhappy laugh.

 

“I'm here aren't I?”

 

Lexa leans back again and gives a small twitch of her lips.

 

“Yes you are” She sighs and looks away “I need you to help me hold this Coalition together Klark.”

 

“Well as long as you intended to let the Skaikru join I'd say that is pretty much a given. I didn't come this far to watch it fall apart now.”

 

The blonde watches as the Commander nods her head in acknowledgement before clearly hesitating. Clarke narrows her eyes, Lexa never hesitates. She watches as the other girl gathers herself before carefully saying.

 

“There are those who would wish to see the Coalition fail. This means there can be no doubt in it...the oaths behind it must be irrefutable”

 

And as soon as the young Chancellor hears the word “oath” she knows where this is going. Lexa takes one final breath before meeting Clarkes gaze 

 

“ You must never call me an Oathbreaker again. Never.”

 

She was expecting it but suddenly all the wild anger she'd had moments ago came bubbling back clearly just banked under the weight of her misery but by no means out.

 

“What?” she spits even though she is 110% clear.

 

“You must never call me an Oathbreaker again” the Commander clenches her teeth and juts her jaw out. Son of a bitch thinks Clarke could she not even try to look contrite? but instead the other girl continues unapologetic. 

 

“ You might be asked by other Clan heda about the mountain. You must tell them a retreat was agreed upon”

 

“What.” Clarke repeats again this time with far more venom.

 

“You must tell them no oaths were broken at the mountain that our alliance allowed for a retreat.” repeats Lexa implacably.

Clarke feels a wretched churning of her insides, resentment bubbling under her skin. She couldn't believe that the other girl was calmly sitting there asking her to publicly excuse a betrayal so great it lead to genocide.

 

“Fuck you Lexa” she snarls

 

Suddenly violently she leaps to her feet banging her knee hard against the low table between them causing the plate on it to make a satisfying clank as it jumped with the tables movement. Something about the noise soothed the fire in her soul and before she could get a handle on herself she found herself sweeping the entire plate off the table in one satisfying almighty crash.

 

“FUCK you!” she says again

 

Breathing heavily she watches as a few small nuts roll across the room and away from the carnage of broken ceramic and scattered food stuffs.

 

After watching the nut’s lonely trajectory across the floor for a few moments she turns her gaze back to the other girl expecting to see her expression locked down with the mask of Heda firmly in place. What she saw instead surprised some of the anger out of her.

 

Lexa looked stricken.

 

The look lasted only a moment and as the blonde watched the mask she'd been expecting slide into place.

 

“Perhaps...” Said Lexa carefully almost like she was testing her voice

 

“We would be wise to leave this conversation here for tonight. I believe most of what needed to be said has been said.”

 

“You're right. I have nothing more to say to you...Don't worry Commander no Skaikru will name you Oathbreaker” The last part was said with a sneer and it was true despite her anger she recognised the necessity of it but to write off possibly the most defining moment of her life as a non-event HURT, it hurt more than one of Lexa's daggers to the gut, but like every move she'd made since accepting the mantel of leadership she’d grit her teeth and bear it.

 

With that she walked to the door without looking back however as she reached the door she couldn't help but take a small glance and what she saw made her pause. There knelt Lexa in the middle of the mess she’d had made in her rage. Maybe she'd originally knelt to clean it up but what Clarke saw was the brunette clutching a shard of plate in one hand while she gazed forlornly at the mess around her.

 

It was as human as Clarke had ever seen the other woman and it made her suck in a sharp breath before she turned on her heel and fled.


	9. Plans & Players

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh so turns out I'm not dead like poor Heda just MIA (to soon?) Sorry for the massive absence I was super busy then stymied by the new season. As I've said previously I do have a plan for where this story is going and half of this was written before the season started yet its hard not to be affected by the new knowledge give in S03. The Clan names for instance I made them up before we knew so now in my story it'll be a hodge podge of what I made up and what they are on the show...I've included the nightbloods etc  
> I must say I am overwhelmed by the response to this story, all your kudos, bookmarks and especially your reviews warm the cockles of my heart! As a first time writer it gives me a boost and inspires me to keep going. In return I promise that while I can't promise regular speedy updates (cough fourmonthbreak cough) I won't forsake this I'll see it through to the end.  
> ~NEH

**Chapter 9: Plans & Players**

 

Clarke slept restlessly that night, when did she not? But this night she was haunted by forlorn green eyes instead of burnt flesh. As she'd woken early she simply got up and reviewed what needed to be done. A lot needed to be done.

Her room was large, in fact like Lexa's hers was a suit rather than just a bedroom, it had a sitting area and desk as well as the bed. She shuffled over the desk taking the blanket with her, wrapping in around her shoulders like a cape.

She noted the grounders had woven blankets as well as the animal furs. Clearly someone somewhere knew how to make yarn and to weave it, It was an odd fact to notice but it was on Clarke's List.

The weeks before her arrival in Polis had be hectic, heavy with reorganisation and politics, in fact it was almost a good thing her sleep was so fracture otherwise she might have been resentful of the long hours and the lack of it.

Once again she was more grateful to Marcus Kane than she ever thought she would be. Using Bellamy's knowledge she'd made him her 'Vice' and the two of them had actually formed a surprisingly successful partnership. He had administration and management experience that she lacked, often already aware of small things that she had not even considered. Marcus Kane was well acquainted with the functioning cogs of a large group of people, his problem lay in that he didn't know how it should all fit together on the ground, too entrenched with what life HAD been on the Ark. Which is where she came in, unfettered by " but thats how its always been done" she presented alternate less traditional solutions. Clarke knew she was a pragmatist, which she brought to bear with ruthless efficiency. No concept was off the table as long as it was viable, as soon as it lost practicality she dropped it. Something deep in her bones told her they were in a race against time to get their community setup and functioning. So she worked with a steady relentlessness and if it meant she had no time to focus on all the trauma of the preceding months, well that was just a happy benefit.

The result was satisfying. In the weeks she'd been gone from camp almost no decisions had been made, held up by the councillors recovery and the paralysing uncertainty on just how to proceed. The community had begun to sinking into restless discontent as people milled without direction or hope.

Clarke however had no such compunctions, she remembered all to well what hesitation could cost. How differently would things have played out if the 100 had been faster to arm themselves? Faster to build their walls? They could "deliberate" on social structure later as far as she was concerned. With Clarke at the helm pushing practical action and Marcus behind her catching the more mundane details the Camps mood had transformed into one of gritty optimism.

After consulting Lincoln and Major Miller they had picked a site for the new Veil-land Village. She had promised Indra they would eventually leave Camp Jaha so move they would, besides which they couldn't afford to keep paying the tithe, winter was going to be hard enough as it was.

The new Village had been named "Astra" or from the stars, They'd decided to hold competition to name it in a small moral boosting exercise. Roma had won a weeks worth of extra rations plus a new fur for her winning suggestion. Its location resided a short walk away from the river (very near the spot that Jasper had been speared). It was thought that strategically it was a good idea to keep the two Skaikru locations separate, that way if one location was compromised they could relocated to the other. Therefore Astra was positioned away from both the mountain's entrances, the main entrance as well as the tunnels.

The Mountain itself they had started to clean out and catalogue just what their victory had bought them. She couldn't bring herself to enter it but there were enough helping hands that she didn't need to . Clarke hoped to trade some of the Art and artefacts here in Polis. The simple fact was that the Skaikru needed a lot and had precious little to offer.

Its what this mornings review was about. She'd worked with the council to identify things and skills they lacked that hopefully they could acquire here in Polis. The basic problem stemmed from that there were no "Makers" left on the Ark, they had spent the last 100 years being "Fixers" .Life on the Ark was such that every thing that they had or had ever existed was recycled. Yet here they found themselves on earth, starting from scratch without even a basic knowledge how to create said new life. Raven made the valid point of "Well it's not rocket science is it? So how damn hard can it be?" yes they were smart and not above learning but learning took time. Time Clarke wasn't sure they had.

Her mind turned back to the woven blanket. Clothes could obviously be made, but where did they get the cloth? Or yarn? and if they got yarn how would they learn to weave it? Or did they just trade? Then who did they trade with? Clarke rubbed the bridge of her nose. Just one task on the list of many.

She dropped her gaze to the list. The benefit of having such long list meant she got to bring a lot of her favourite people to Polis. Monty, Raven, Octavia and Monroe were all with her. The con to that was she worried about not having enough loyal people back at camp. While the decisive action she'd brought to camp had made her instantly popular amongst many there were still a lot of the old Arkers who still doubted her and she suspected they thought Kane was the driving force behind most policies.

So in the end she'd left Kane and Bellamy at home. It sucked that she seemed to be forever leaving Bellamy behind in some capacity or another but it was because she trusted him that she did. Both Kane and Bellamy she actually had little choice in. Bellamy was now the councillor for Milta he needed to be there to marshal a defence if needed.

Jasper was also in the party under Kane's advisement. Marcus had told her flat out that Jasper was becoming a malcontent in camp and was stirring dissatisfaction where none needed to be, that the best thing she could do was take him with her to stop him stirring the pot. To be honest she hadn't really wanted to. Things between Jasper and herself were still strained and that was putting it mildly. Not that Clarke blamed him, she understood really she did. It just, like most things lately, it hurt her heart.

Indra had advised a visiting contingent to the Capitol for a Clan Council could be up to twenty people more than in fact but that it would be presumptuous to bring that many Skaikru. Party size apparently was linked proportionality to Clan status and given that Skaikru were yet to be given any official standing in the coalition...

Clarke kept it under twenty. Breaking it down into tasks on 'The List' . Generally grouping a First Fall, an Arker and a guard to one of five primary tasks – Tech/mech, Farming/Agro, Hunting/Weapons, Quartermaster/Supply and finally Healing which she would do herself. She reluctantly agree that she should have a guard and was surprised at Octavia's insistence that she would fill the role. Clarke however was more worried about culture clash. She wanted both Octavia and Lincoln to rove amongst her groups acting as liaisons after all most of her party couldn't even speak the language. In the end it was settled, Lincoln and O would be her primary guard but they would bring two extra guard who would take over if and when the others need the dynamic- duos expertise.

So all things considered this expedition and hope for her people was progressing well. On the journey to Polis Indra had been trying to teach her trigdasleng except Indra drilled language the same way she drilled the sword- brutally and with very little patience. As a result the words Clarke had a handle on best were all swears, those however she could say like a nomonjoka (motherfucker). The blonde though recognised the disadvantage she'd be facing in negotiations if other Clans could converse without her knowing what was being said. So she tried to nut up and endured Indra's disparaging comments. Fortunately she was also getting a helping hand from Lincoln who was continuing Octavia's education.

There was a knock on door and Clarke glanced to the window and was surprised to see light filtering through, she must have been more lost in her thoughts than she realised.

"Sha" She called.

No sooner had she spoken than Octavia and Raven came stalking and limping into the room respectively. Octavia claimed the chair beside Clarke's desk dumping a plate containing some fruit by the blondes elbow while Raven threw herself backwards onto Clarke's bed.

"No no by all means come on in! Make yourselves at home I insist!" Clarke comments dryly.

" Shof op. We brought you breakfast." Replied Octavia sweetly

"So what's the plan for today boss?" Asked Raven from her prone position on the blondes bed not bothering to even raise her head.

Clarke hrumpphed "Don't call me that..."

"Whatever you say Princess" replied Raven sounding completely unrepentant

"C'mon! really? can you just..." Clarke felt the tips of her ears burning the name Princess had taken on entirely different connotations for her since she'd learnt the wider Tridgeda people called her it. She huffed in exasperation again

"You sure are grumpy in the mornings.." remarks Octavia swiping a piece of fruit from the plate she'd brought. Clarke sends her a glare before scooching her chair back so she can lean back and look at both girls.

" ...I thought we'd get the lay of the land, explore the city a little. The market obviously is probably our best bet for most things but from what Lincoln has been explaining we might also have luck in other areas. The city apparently has a sector called...

"Quarters" interrupted Octavia

"What?"

"Quarter they call it a Quarter here ….sector is so Skaikru" the scorn clearly dripping from her voice.

"...yeah so city has something called the "Makers Quarter that will probably be useful to us. Especially potentially your group Rae..maybe Monroe's..."

"Yeah I'll take a look. There is supposed to be a separate part of the market dedicated to scavenged tech I'll check that out too"

"Maybe Monty should check out the Makers quarter to...might be something for farming there..."

"Possibly. Nobody goes alone stick in your group of three. I'm counting you guys to keep the Arkers out of trouble..."

"Yeah yeah Clarke you know we've got this."

" I know you do..it's not you guys that I worry about..." Clarke ran a stressed hand through her hair "Actually you know what? Have everyone gather here after breakfast I'll go through this with everyone..."

"Sha Princess" Replied the brunette closest to her sincerely while the one still on the bed asked

"What're you gonna do while we're all out doing your bidding?"

"Well I have my own medical stuff to research for my Mom...We know the the red weed works like an antibiotic but really really need some more herb lore. I'm also going to try and meet some of the other Clan leaders in the afternoon Indra is going to send word. O will you and Lincoln be able to go with?"

"Yeah provided you think the rest of this bunch can stay out of trouble without us."

"They better.."

 

* * *

 

"You are brooding"

Lexa lifted her head from her folded arms that lay across the table.

"I am not"

Kyra took a swig of her drink before swirled the glass loosely while arching an eyebrow in Lexa's direction.

"Yes. You are" She said peering into the glass before taking another swig.

Lexa huffed and sat up straighter while pulling her own mug closer

"I am not brooding" A little bit of an edge crept into her voice

"Do not get all Commander on me..When we started this you promised me Dria for the night not Heda"

Lexa sighed and dropped her head down again.

"I am not very good at separating one from the other these days. To often we must be one and the same."

Kyra turned to study her then.

"No I suppose you aren't...but if you could refrain from tying me to a tree for my impertinence it would probably help us recover this friendship as you are so bent on doing".

Lexa inclined her head and schooled her face into her best impartial Heda face.

"I make no promises" She said stoically before allowing a small grin to flash across her lips

Kyra grinned back at her.

"So are you going to tell me why it is that you are brooding? Do not make me force it out of you Driae...It would be unbecoming for the Mighty Heda to break before a mere merchant"

Lexa looked to her friend and sighed she had no desire to discuss all that was Clarke with her friend no matter how close they had been in the past she had spent three winters guarding her heart and the thought of sharing her feelings now felt impossible. Fortunately, neither Kyra or Oren appeared to put much stock in any of the stories circulating about her and the "Skai Prisa" While they were clearly fascinated by the Skaikru in general, Sky Princess included they seemed to automatically dismiss the notion of something between Clarke and her and fantastical gossip. Which it was and forever would be be thought Lexa darkly. She did not know what Clarke was to her, they had not had the time to find out...but what *was* certain was that it was not what the stories made it out to be. Kyra might suspect something was going on however because she'd been there to witness Lexa's less than discrete reaction to Clarke's arrival.

"Come now! Here we are in a secure balcony within The Round organised by Oren himself, none can hear and I swear to you I am just as good at keeping secrets as I was when we were goufa!..."

"I do not want to tell you my secrets!" snapped Lexa fists clenching at her sides. This was a mistake. She should not be here. She watched Kyra clench her teeth and look away.

"Fine. Sit there and sulk for all I care" With that Kyra started to rise "but I've finer things to do with my time than watch it'

Lexa sighed internally she hadn't meant to drive her friend away and without thought she reached out grasping her friends wrist.

"Stay" Sorry and please went unvoiced ever the Commander but she hoped her friend heard it for what it was.

Kyra released a long suffering sigh.

"Fine, but you'd better pick up in company or you'll be buying me another round of wine"

" I think I can accommodate"

Lexa traced the table top with a finger

"If you are aware of what transpired at the Mountain then I can tell you the meeting with the Skai Prisa went about as well as could be expected... that is to say poorly indeed." Lexa sighed and took swig of wine "but I do not really want to talk of it." Tapping a finger on the table she stared into space " I feel as though I should not be here now for the Coalition struggles and there is much to do to salvage it... The trouble is I do not even know where to begin." another sigh another sip "My opponents are hidden trikova(shadows) refusing to face me openly, instead plotting behind my back." Now she turned to face her friend "and finally I am still angry at Oren and yet here I sit "brooding" in his house."

"Well' replied Kyra to Lexa's outburst

" Yes well" replied Lexa taking another cautious sip of her wine. She wouldn't drink enough to addle her mind but she did intend to drink. She could see Kyra biting her lip clearly weighing up where to start.

"Are the stories about you and the Princess true then?" she finally asks eyes bright. Kyra despite her cynicism loved stories, she was after all how they'd ended up at the Tellers place all those years ago.

Lexa doesn't even dignify it with an answer and merely sends her companion a scathing look that had been known to send lesser men running. Kyra just rolled her eyes.

"Fine then not the stories. But you do care for her?" her companion probes

Again Lexa doesn't answer but to this she does give a little tilt of her head before taking another small sip of drink.

"Huh" responds Kyra "That is unexpected after everything"

"Hmm very"

"What happened when you spoke?"

Lexa sighed.

"She was angry...Must we talk of this?"

Kyra shrugged.

"It's by far the most interesting tidbit in your brooding but we can move on if you would like...though my next topic will probably displease you just as much."

"Are we not suppose to enjoying a drink together? Why then must you pick topics you know will aggravate me?"

"It was not my masterplan that is for sure, you are far more likeable when you are less broody..."

"I am not broody" cuts in Lexa

Kyra pretends like she wasn't interrupted "But it ties in with the second half of your rant and I must confess to having ulterior motives when I asked you to share a drink..."

"Us having a private balcony was not just luck was it?"

"No...and no do not get all Heda on me! I need you to hear me out.."

"Between Oren and yourself I am doing a lot of 'hearing out" Lexa states pensively..

Kyra winces.

"Yes, well we have always been birds of a feather he and I..."

"Kyra no..." Lexa murmured thinking back to her conversation with Oren on the day she told the story of the Pauna.

_They were several drinks into their cups when he turned to her sharply_

" _You have avoided me these past three years since my sisters death. I need to know is it because you feel responsible for her death? or because you believe ME responsible?" His blue eyes burnt into her with a wild intensity and she could not help but answer honestly if not confusedly_

" _I have been a coward Oren...I could not bear to face you or your Nontu. After everything your family has given me, then to be the reason she was taken from you? I could not bare to face it. She was killed for my secrets, secrets she did not even possess. Who else but I is responsible? She had no business being caught up in politics or war she was a Teller! It was for me she suffered and yet I did nothing. "_

" _Then you do not know" he said with grim finality._

_Everything in Lexa stilled._

" _Know what?"_

_He looked pained. Lexa could see his grief and regret wrapped around his shoulders like a cloak._

" _Know what Oren..."_

" _She DID have secrets Heda just not yours..." He said at last "She was a Sparrow..."_

_Lexa felt her breath leave her lungs hard_

" _What?" She asked unable to process what he was telling her._

" _The Round has always been a house of Sparrows... Nomatu and I and others but in later years she begged us to be a part of it. She wanted to travel in the caravans, to see the world and make a difference, I think she wanted to help you I don't know...I do know at the time we didn't see the harm in it, we kept her away from the more nefarious side of the business, truly she was JUST a Sparrow...but we were wrong so wrong and I am so sorry SO sorry."_

_Lexa felt everything in her freeze it felt like the world dropped out like she had just lost Costia all over again. Had she ever really known her ?A Sparrow? How was it possible? How had she not known? The Sparrows were spies, intel gathers and sellers of information. Well not entirely or overtly in fact Lexa probably only knew because it was her business to know such things . In practice and as far as the wider public knew they were a messenger service that operated outside the purview of the official messengers. They would and could deliver any message to anyone of any clan anonymously ...for price._

"Merchants move just as freely across borders as Tellers Driae" Kyra comments softly breaking her reverie. Lexa cast her a sharp look

"That maybe true...but why take such a risk? Why would you take part in such foolishness? I take it your Aunt is unaware of your activities..."

Kyra glanced away studying the dark corners of the room.

" No of course not...or at least if she does she turns a blind eye" the other woman confesses with a rueful look "Ironically that is how it all started ...as a way to help my Aunt. She's a pacifist in a sea of dogs hungry for war...don't look at me like that! You know she is"

Lexa tries to school the disapproval from her face.

" What I know is your Aunt is one of the toughest women I know... "

"Nevertheless I thought to myself "forewarned is forearmed" so I involved myself though Oren... and then? Then I was **good** at it Driae. I might not be Commander material but this? This I can do and do well."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because times are changing. Because peace is finally in sight if not yet in reach. Because despite that war is still sitting on the horizon. Because you came back and I can make a difference to you. Because my Aunt has asked me to be her heir. Take your pick.

Lexa thinks. The Sparrows are not the only "information" network out there but they are known to be the more scrupulous.

"What exactly is it you're offering by telling me this Kyra? And is it yours to offer? Even I know the Sparrows are impartial and by coming to me won't there be consequences? Surely the Nightingale will have few things about one of his Sparrows idly chatting to Heda" If there is a bit of sneer as she says Nightingale Lexa thinks she can be forgiven.

To this the other woman grinned like the cat who got the cream

"Not so sadly we've recently had to part ways from the old Nightingale... too much corruption was bad for business, he'd become a liability. Fortunately I'm faster and far more charming than he ever was."

Lexa just stares at her friend equal parts horrified and intrigued. The Nightingale was the head of Sparrows, their commander if you will. From what Kyra was saying she was now in command of the Sparrow network. Which while vaguely terrifying was intriguing in its potential after all one of her biggest challenges was simply knowing who her enemies were. Lexa leaned back in her chair before raising her glass in mock salute.

"Well then *Nightingale* you have my attention"

 

* * *

 

Clarke paced. Try as she might she couldn't get Lexa out of her head, how she'd looked when she left her on the floor last night. All day it kept popping into her head. As she spoke to the healers about various herbs, BOOM, sad green eyes. As she met with Rex the Leader of the Stone-man clan, BAM, slow mo replay of the moment she knocked the plate off the table. Later as she sat with her people reviewing what they had discovered during the day, KAPOW a suckerpunch combo of the plate's exact trajectory montaged with the weary defeated look on Lexa's face as she'd rejected small talk. Clarke sighed and took her fourth turn along the corridor. It wasn't that she thought she didn't have the right to be angry it's just she should have handled it better. She's an adult, a Chancellor even, not a tantrum chucking five year old. She pivoted on the spot and returned the way she'd come. Only to come face to face with the object of her ruminations.

Lexa for her part much to Clarke' annoyance held her composure well, the only thing to give away her shock at discovering an erant princess pacing the hall outside her room was a small break in stride. She came to a stop more than an arm length away, as if keeping her distance, not that Clarke blamed her.

"Klark, I did not expect you" The Commander greeted

Given the way she'd left things the previous night Clarke imagine that no no Lexa really hadn't expected her any time soon.

"Uh no I came unannounced …Sorry its so late.."

And it was late Clarke couldn't help but wonder where the other girl had been. The silence that filled the hall was awkward and suffocating and they both rushed to fill it.

" I just wanted…"

" Would you like to…."

"Sorry .You go"

"I was just going to say would you like to come in?" Replied Lexa cautiously

Clarke' didn't think she could cope being in a private enclosed space with the other girl so soon and blurted out her response without thinking

"NO. No uh " and internally winced at the flicker of disappointment she saw flash across the brunettes face and mentally reminded herself that that look was the whole reason she was here in the first place and she found herself stammering

"No I just uh its late and I'm tired and you're tired..but.I just…" Clarke cuts her ramble off check the corridor behind them, they were alone save Lexa's two guard standing at attention down the other end.

"I just …" Clarke closed her eyes briefly "I just wanted to apologize for last night. I reacted badly. I'm angry but I shouldn't have behaved the way I did...uh sorry I ruined your dinner"

Lexa for her part just studied Clarke intensely till the blonde began to feel uncomfortable finally she blinked and responded.

"Thankyou Klark. It puts my mind at peace to hear you say so. I understand you are angry and you have a right to be but we must work together"

"I know and I know alright? I'm trying... "

"I know that too"

Now that it was firmly established that the both knew they lapsed again into a pregnant silence

"It wasn't my dinner…' Lexa blurts just as the silence was getting too much and Clarke can tell from her expression that she wishes she hadn't

"What?"

"It wasn't my dinner, It was for you...I told you I wanted to show you Polis so I thought I could…It was for you." Clarke could only look on in fascination as the Commander of Twelve Clans turned awkward stammering. The other girls eyes darted away searching the corridor behind the blonde as if looking for an escape.

Great now Clarke felt twice as bad which was ridiculous she was angry a Lexa! She wasn't the bad guy here...except the bad guy was a matter of perspective. Steeling herself she felt just as awkward as Lexa had sounded moments before as she tried to extend an olive branch.

"Uh sorry again do you have anymore? I'd try it now..or or we could go to the market…

"You would let me show you the market?" Broke in the other woman momentarily cutting off the blondes stammer.

"Uh" Looking at the hopeful look on Lexa's face and the question Clarke suddenly felt unsure

"Yes? ..I ...I don't know, its just you said before ...I mean.."

Suddenly a slow smile spreads across Lexa's face and Clarke's breath catches and she's reminded how rarely the other girl smiles.

"I would be honored to show you the market. Are you free tomorrow mid morning? I must see to the Naitblida early but I will have time after."

Clarke isn't really sure that showing her the market could be classified as an "honor" and it feels a little bit like this might mean more to the other girl than she originally intended but she can't get that smile out of her head and she can't bare to be the one that takes it way so she finds herself nodding.

"Yeah I can be free...uh I'll meet you here?"

"Yes I will let the guards know to expect you"

A more comfortable silence falls between them then

"Well uh reshop Heda"

At this Clarke is blessed with another small half smile from the other girl.

"Reshop Skai Prisa"

Clarke doesn't have the energy to correct her and so ducks her head before retreating to the safety of her room. Besides she'd save her energy for dealing with O who will undoubtedly lose her shit when she finds out about this latest little development. Since hashing out their own drama the brunette has been firmly on "Team Clarke" and she would definitely disapprove of Clarke getting tangle up in Lexa no matter how innocent the excursion. The blonde sighed she was so tired, it was time for bed she'd deal with it all tomorrow.

 


	10. Chapter 10 : Shared Honey & Bad Business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi back again. Sorry for the delay (again). I had fun with this chapter I like exploring the idea that in isolation the two groups would have developed two different cultures. I realise that Indra might be getting a little OC at this point but all the characters in the 100 have a lot of depth and I wanted to bring out hers (plus I love her grumpy pants). Once again if there is any plot inconsistencies from previous chapters just roll with it :P info in later chapters supersedes the old chapters. Also uh sorry in advance...you’ll see what I mean.. this chapter gets a little intense

Lexa tugged her hood closer around her as she stepped out of the stables only to halt abruptly as she spotted Lincoln directly in front of her, his back to her as he wound some rope around his arm.

 

Her gazed darted around in a panic before spying a fully laden cart which she promptly launched herself behind, just moments before the big scout turned to pick up a saddle by his feet, muscles in his arms rippling as he hoisted it onto the fence in front of him.

 

Lexa peered through the sacks piled on the cart before turning away and cursing herself vehemently. Heda does not hide! All the same she furtively casts another glance over her shoulder. Heda doesn’t hide but Lexa does apparently. Lexa growls to herself she doesn’t even know why she’s hiding! She’d been showing Clarke the Makers Quarter. Things had gone well earlier in the week at the Markets.

  
  
  


_ EARLIER IN THE WEEK _

_ She’d found Clarke once again loitering in the corridor outside her room as promised. The other girl had raised an eyebrow but no protest as Lexa had brought her into her rooms, passed her a cloak and shuffled her down and out the secret passage that lay behind a shelf of belongings. _

 

_ Clarke had been quiet throughout their escape from the tower and Lexa hoped she wasn’t thinking of the last time the two of them had donned disguises and slunk out of a building in secret. She wanted Clarke to think more of her than that. The thought forcing her to explain. _

 

_ “We can see more if people do not recognise me as Heda. I want you see Polis as it is, without the influence of my title….” _

 

_ Clarke was still surprisingly quiet and merely replied with a small “Sure, ok” _

 

_ Which did nothing to alleviate Lexa’s nerves. Still, she told herself if she could lead the combined armies of Twelve Clans she could lead one girl through a market.  _

 

“Linkon.” Said Indra coming to stand beside the man as he worked. Lexa again cursed under her breath and instantly felt conflicted. Should she stay hidden? She did not wish to give away that she was present but she also wanted to give them their privacy, she was aware that their relationship had been fraught for many seasons, even before the Skaikru fell.

“Indra” The big man nodded not looking up from his task.

The brusque warrior leant up against the railing on which he was working surveying the bustling crowd.

“You should buy Oktavia some good food, festival food. Maybe some Caff (coffee)... if you can find any here this time of year or some of those glowing berries the Trishana bring . The ships from the south won't be in till after winter now.” She states this with the same serious intensity she'd use to discuss battle plans. From her vantage point Lexa could only make out half of Linkon’s face but she saw his befuddlement register clearly as he stilled his hands and gave Indra his attention.

“What? Why?” He gave a light chuckle “Could you imagine Okteivia with Caff (coffee)? She can barely find stillness as it is! ” he sighed “I would gladly shower her with gifts if I were able but you know I don’t have the trade. Not for something as rare as that””

The other woman grunts

“If there is some in the market I will help you buy it.” she still is yet to look at the man by her side persisting in surveying the crowd but Linkon now faces her. 

“Indra. What is this about? Why all of a sudden is it so important that I buy Okteivia food of all things? Important enough that you would speak to me of it?”

Indra looks like she’s tasted something bad before she gives a truly aggrieved sigh turning to face the big man and grits out.

“Its courting Linkon...Skaikru courting” She faces back out to the crowd before continuing in a quieter voice “Every houmon deserves to feel the joy of a proper courting. Oktavia more than most….”

Linkon is silent but he is now giving Indra his full attention.

“I...I had not even thought to ask...I did not think it mattered” The man ran his hand over his shaved head in what Lexa perceived to be a stressed gesture “She seems happy I thought it was enough that we were together” Now, to Lexa’s utter amazement, the seasoned scout looked positively bashful “I uh I...left her flowers...in the beginning.” He rubbed his head again shuffled his feet “before everything got…” he waves his hand in a loose gesture “complicated”. Complicated being code for  “before her brother caught and tortured him” thought Lexa. He looks back at the General “but maybe she didn’t understand?” He casts a glance at Indra before his eyes widen and he slaps his hand to his face cursing himself “ Branwoda! Of course she didn’t! There are no flowers in the sky!”

The older woman shoots him a bemused look full of affection and Lexa wishes she could give them their privacy, despite her own closely guarded interest in the courting customs of Skaikru but she’s lingered too long and she cannot hope to leave now and not be noticed.

“Fear not my skat (boy)... for our Okteivia it is more than enough that you chose her and I suspect gifting flowers is an obvious enough a gesture that it will have transcended the differences in our cultures ” then she continues with an arched brow “Still you should do more..” says with a firm nod

“Yes Chief” He replies calling her chief despite Indra's new rank of General and Lexa can hear the affection there. The woman in question is regarding him fiercely now.

“Indra...”

She sighs “I have not been fair to you Linkon.”

“No Indra...I broke from our people, I broke from you” 

But she shakes her head “No Linkon you followed your heart, I betray you long before that...Milo would be disappointed in me”

Linkon gave a rueful smile “You were..are his hero you could never disappoint him”

Indra grunted. “You will find skat, that in life it is our heros that disappoint us the most. No he would be disappointed.” she says as a statement of fact “You are his Keryon Bro (soul brother) I have let him down because I have let you down.” she says simply “I should have protected you after he fell but I blamed you” The tattooed woman clenched her jaw and continued “.....I just could not...It shames me to say it but I just could not look to you and see you and not him, I could not understand why the Gods took my son from me and left you in his place”

“ Your false son ...I was not enough, just as I wasn't for my father” fills in Linkon

Indra scowls “Your father was a selfish unkind man and I am sorry we left you with him as long as we did”

Lincoln gives  a tight shrug “He wanted a warrior and I wasn't one. I never measured up” and even Lexa from a distance can hear the self recrimination in the big man.

“Oh Hush” The gruff General turns to grip the man’s shoulder holding his gaze “ You are one of the finest scouts TonDC has ever produced. Scouts are gona (warriors), fisa (healers) and trikova (shadows) all in one. I'd like to see your useless branwoda father do half as well as you have. You might look like your father but your soul is your mother’s. I was sorry for her passing. I should not be surprised you two found each other my skat without a Nontu and you without a Nomon”

“Milo did not have a warrior's soul either” mummers the big man.

The woman is silent for a long time.

“No. No he did not... like you he was made for gentler things but I pushed him to be a Gona. I pushed him because I wanted him to be strong. I saw us surrounded by enemies and I thought the only way my goufa would survive was if he was strong. Gona strong”

“There is no shame in wanting your son to be strong Chief..” he said softly

“No. But there is shame in pushing him into being something he was not. In the end I drove him into the arms of the very mountain I feared and after I lost him I blamed you. I blamed you for leading him away from being a gona, I blamed you for coming back without him and I blamed you for being a son but not MY son. It was easier to let you run with the Skaigada than keep you.”

Lincoln now raises his own arm mirroring the older warriors earlier gesture and clasping her shoulder in return.

“ It is ok Chief “

She shook her head sharply

“No it is not... but I am sorry and now we have nothing to do but move forward.  So you have my support, you and Okteivia both and gods willing I will have a second chance to do right by Milo as well”

“ You will Chief I am sure of it. He is stubborn like his Nomon he will not give in so easily”

Though she didn’t smile Indra’s lips twitched upward.

“Should you ever not have a place within the Sky Clan know you would be welcome back within Trikru, within TonDC”

Mochof Chief… But Klark is good to us and I feel she and the Skaikru need us more at the moment”

“True” conceded the other woman.

The big scout gave a rueful look while resuming his winding now it was clear the serious part of the conversation was done with.

“ You know, she claimed me as her people even before the mountain fell...it meant a lot...That someone other than Okteivia would give me a place when I had none ” Lexa remembers the moment well. Linkon had been caught by the Maunon (Mountain Man). Desperately Linkon had told them to disregard him, to shoot the Maunon. Clarke had replied looking as dark and determined as Lexa has ever seen her “You are my people” shooting through his shoulder, killing the Mountain Man in an impressive display of marksmanship. In her quiet moments later, Lexa had idly contemplated whether the accuracy would translate to the bow and whether she could teach Clarke, could share that with her.

Indra just gives a stiff nod in response and the two lapse into a silence more comfortable than before. Lexa was just wondering how she would ever get back to her rooms when the Scout spoke again.

“Food huh?”

“Or drink I believe…”

He looks at her incredulously

“How do you know this?”

Now the fierce General looks like she swallowed something sour.

“Okteivia spoke to me…”

The scout looks at her horrified.

“About us?!”

“No” though she looked no less displeased “About the Commander” It took all of Lexa’s training to hold her position and not to start forward. Lincoln looks bemused.

“Okteivia spoke to you... about the Commander ...and Skaikru courting customs…”

“I am trying to repress it.”

“Why?” he said baffled

“I should have thought that was obvious... the conversation was tedious”

‘No.” He said exasperated  “Why would she discuss such things with you!” Yes thought Lexa still precariously trapped behind her cart but now hanging on every word. Why indeed?

Indra gave a rare grin.

“You should have seen her” and now, to Lexa’s shock, the woman out right laughs “ terrified to bring it up with me but fierce like lioness defending her cub” and Lincoln joins her in a fond smile  

“Apparently she had some concerns”

“Oh?”

“Apparently the Commander showed the Skai Prisa to the market and bought her lunch and it seems Okteivia is worried about her intentions. Our young gona wanted *me* to alert the Commander of Skaikru customs just in case she is unaware...so there is no potential misunderstandings”

Lincoln snorted

“ and will you?”

Indra looks at the man flatly “Skat, I’d rather fight a pauna in the frozen tundra of Azgada.Naked. than have that conversation”

Lincoln gives a full throated laugh.

She shrugs“ I trust they can sort such things out for themselves and their business is nobody's but their own” her she gives him a pointed look “…..but perhaps if you could deliver your gift to Okteivia while in the commander's presence I feel that would resolve it” They shared a few more moments together before Indra left and Lincoln resumed his task. While she waited for the scout to leave Lexa thought back to the trip to the markets…

 

_ EARLIER IN THE WEEK _

_ She guided Clarke towards one of the places she most wanted to show if only to see the other girls reaction to it. They’d spent the better part of the morning in the Markets and despite being initially subdued Clarke soon became animated at the sites and sounds of the market. Her eyes glowed as she took in craftsmen spruiking their wares, the fruit seller selling fruits the likes of which the skaigada had surely never seen and the sheer numbers in the crowd. _

 

_ Lexa watched as Clarke was distracted by a stall held by someone from the  _ _ Delfikru (Delphi Clan) the blonde pausing to reach out a hand to lightly finger the brightly coloured braid work the Clan was famed for. _

_ “ And here I thought your people only believed in wearing blacks and skulls” commented other girl still distracted by the braid work in front of her. _

_ Lexa shrugs lightly “Black and Skulls keep us safe in war...but we are not always at war. Come.” She says grasping her wrist lightly and leading her onwards to Drew’s stall. Honey. Honey is what she most wants to share with Clarke, Clarke who had never eaten things from animals. Honey, which was her favourite. _

 

_ “Hei Drew!” _

_ “Hei Dria! You’ve returned! I’m glad that I did not have to wait another three winters until I got to see your smiling face! And you’ve brought a friend I see!” _

_ Lexa gave him a laugh _

_ “ I told you Drew I’m back. Now tell me how is my timing? How is the afternoon batch coming along?” _

_ “As usual yongon your timing is spot on! They should be ready to come out of the oven at any moment” Out of the corner of her eye she can see Clarke staring at her incredulously, she supposes her persona as Dria is very different to that of Heda and neither of them are truly Lexa. Noticing that the stall is quiet she decides to take a risk. _

_ She leans forward conspiratorially “Can you keep a secret my old friend?” Drew looks mildly affronted _

_ “Course I can I ain’t no market gossip!”  _

_ Lexa looks back at a now wide eyed blonde before replying. _

_ “ I met my friend…” She pauses only slightly as she searches for an alias for Clarke “...Claire here while I was away at the Battle of the Mountain. Claire is a Skayon! (Sky Person)”  _

_ “No? You don’t say!” he replies old eyes bright clapping his hands together. _

_ “Well girl c’mere then!” _

_ Clarke shuffles forward looking uncertainly at Lexa. _

_ “Come now! None of that! Dria is one of my oldest and greatest customers! Any friend of hers is a friend o’mine.” _

_ “I brought her to you Drew because I need your help on an important matter!” Lexa keeps her tone in the same dramatic hushed voice as before, the one she use to use at the Tellerhouse when she was a yongon _

_ “Claire has never tried honey….” _

_ The old man drew in a sharp breath looking scandalized. Lexa can tell he’s playing it up to jest along with her. _

_ “WHAT?! Impossible!” _

_ Lexa schools her face to impassiveness _

_ “She comes from the sky and there is no honey in the sky” she turns to Clarke “ Isn’t that right Claire?” _

_ Clarke still looks unsure but seems willing to play along. _

_ “Yeah it’s true...but I do know about it...it comes from bugs right?” _

_ Drew’s incredulity seems more real now as he stares at the blonde in disbelief.  _

_ “Bugs?! Bugs? You think….they’re bees goufa BEES” he runs a hand through his hair muttering to himself before all of a sudden he hustles the two of them into his stall, sitting them down on a workbench before spinning and peering in the oven _

_ “It is a good thing you brought her to me Old Drew has the best honey cakes in Polis! Doesn’t know what honey is why I never….” The rest of his words are cut off as he leans toward his produce. _

_ Clarke turned to her while Drew’s head was almost entirely in the oven. _

_ “You’re different out here….*Dria*” _

_ Lexa gives a noncommittal shrug _

_ “I am always who I need to be...people trust someone affable , quick to laugh.” _

_ Clarke scowls “So you’re playing him….lying.” _

_ Now Lexa frowns and sighs would Clarke ever stop seeing the worst in everything she did? _

_ “No. Dria is still me just the best version of me for this purpose…” Clarke says nothing to this and Lexa continues “ Dria is as much my name as Lexa.” She suddenly feels shy which is a ridiculous notion “ my full name is Alexandria..” She say in a rush, it suddenly seemed absurd that she had never told Clarke this, that with all the weight of emotion between them Clarke did not even know her full name. _

_ Clarke turns her head to regard her and her expression is no longer closed off instead it is soft. _

_ “I know, I mean I heard. Alexandria.... I think it suits you. _

_ Hearing Clarke say her name made her heart stutter in her chest and she could do nothing to stop the tentative smile breaking out on her face. When the blonde returned it she was glad she hadn’t.  _

_ “Do you prefer Dria then? Is it like your nickname?” _

_ The the term “nickname” was outside of Lexa’s knowledge of Gonasleng but she inferred it’s meaning. _

_ “No not really...It is from a time when I had a greater freedom and greater need of a cover, to be someone I’m not. My friends and allies call me Lexa” She is amused by her next thought “ It is mostly my enemies and my Nomon who call me Alexandria...” _

_ “You have a mother?” Queries Clarke sharply before biting her lip as if she wished she could bite back the words. _

_ Lexa cast a wry look at the other girl _

_ “Of course. I did not spring forth from the earth fully formed from clay Clarke.” _

_ “No, No I know! I just meant…” she trails of helplessly Lexa takes pity on her. _

_ “It is true, as a Natblida and potential I was separated from her for training...however I was already eight summers old before this happened ” _

_ Their moment  is then interrupted by Drew crowing as he presents two piping hot honey cakes  one for each of them to try. _

 

And that is how Octavia and Ryder had found them. Sitting shoulder to shoulder, hands and faces sticky with honey and bright eyes conspicuously avoiding each other's gaze. The brunette had narrowed her eyes and growled at the two of them despite their rank making Ryder blanching beside her however Lexa swore she saw an element of smug approval in his eyes as the feisty warrior ripped into the two of them for their “reckless disregard for their own safety and the sanity of those tasked with watching them!’

 

\---------------

 

Lexa scrapped her nail against the armrests of her throne while she waited for the Delegates to file in.The Seasonal Sitting was officially starting, the event was a formal gathering, one that only happened four times a year. As such  all Clans came with full ceremony, trying to show off the best their clan had to offer. Lexa herself was in the full ceremonial black and red armour of The  Commander. Black and Red for she was the Commander of the Blood. Black for her own blood and red for the blood of her people.

 

Finally the last Delegate sat or rather no more Heda’s or Ambassadors filed into the room. Which Lexa knew to be incorrect. Clarke was not here. She kept her face schooled in an impassive mask. Where was Clarke? There was the usual shuffling and murmuring as the assembly settled. Clarke would not miss this, it is unlikely she would even be late Lexa knew that the other girl had spent the last week preparing for this very meeting, speaking to other Clan Leaders, negotiating as much favour as she could curry before the event. So where was she?

 

Lexa waited as long as she could. She waited until the gathered ambassadors and Heda began to get restive. She could feel both Titus and Luna’s gaze on her as they tried to understand the situation, Luna at least was aware of Clarkes intentions at the meeting and Titus if he was worth his salt as a Flamekeeper should also know who was missing and why she now hesitated.

 

She glanced behind Luna to Kyra, catching her eye. The other woman gave a subtle shake of her head indicating she was also in the dark as to the famed Wanheda’s whereabouts. Her newly acquired Spymistress had, in recent days, been very informative as to the current political climate amongst her Clans. For instance she was previously unaware that Yujleda (Broadleaf) had apparently buried the hatchet with with Louwoda Kliron (Shadow Valley) The two clans having had a fractious history in the past, one that was almost as bitter as the one between Trikru and Azgeda. However according to Kyra the two were in communication and yet they still pretend to hold animosity outwardly to the other Clans. The subterfuge concerned her.

 

But most of the news was as she expected-The Stedakru ( Horse Clan) continued to flex and test their boundaries, trying to negotiate an alternate trade route with Trishana rather than be forced to travel through Triku as land as they currently did  and Azgeda as usual continued to tow the line of sedition. 

 

The rest was merely rumblings of discontent with her decision at Maun-de (Mount Weather). With her retreat and the subsequent fall of the Mountain those that were the wolves amongst the Clans smelled weakness and were now circling in an attempt to exploit what they could. It irked her that had the mountain NOT fallen her strength would not be in question, in fact her wisdom would be lauded . Regardless though, the Mountain HAD fallen, slain by the great Wanheda,  Mountain Slayer, the Skai Prisa. Clarke. Which now put her in a delicate and somewhat precarious political position. She now must be unwavering and convince the Clans of her strength, of her will to hold this coalition together. For while the Spirit chose to whom it ascended too (and that was sacred to all)…many had no compunction about hurrying along the selection process if they did not like the current host of Heda. There could be an outright challenge of her leadership and if she fell in such a challenge the Coalition would fall as the wolves hungrily took the opportunity overpowered the weaker clans and new inexperienced Commander. 

 

It also placed Clarke in a dangerous position that the other girl could not possibly hope to understand. By her defeat of the mountain Clarke had elevated her own spirit. Even goufa knew your spirit was the sum of your deeds, that from each victory you collected the power of your slain. Clarkes deeds lifted her to lofty heights indeed, almost as high as her own. 

 

Clarke now had a Named spirit. 

 

Lexa wasn’t sure at what point Clarke had gained it but Lexa had known. Perhaps like recognised like? But she had always know Clarkes spirit was destined for greatness.

 

To the Trigeda people this earth was full of spirits, these spirits were in fact the unformed thoughts or children of the Gods. The spirits were the potential in all things and they bonded with those that suited their nature. For instance Lexa knew of a Waterfall that held a spirit Named Ogonzaunwoda (Peacewater) The place was so beautiful, the water so clean it caused any that entered it to find peace no matter how angry their hearts. There was also a great Cat Beast that guarded the pass between Stoneman and Delphi Clans. It was said to be no ordinary Cat having the smarts of a man and a heart with ten times the courage of an average cat. His Spirit Name was Fayatombom (Fire heart) Not all spirits were benevolent though. There was Ripa(murderer) out Ouskejon (blue cliff) way call Pisfesha (Mad Dog) he’s victims were brutally slain and seemingly endless but such was his power none had yet been able to bring him to justice.

 

For all of these examples, a spirit choosing to bond and thus reveal its name was rare. Spirits mostly moved through the world and could stir people to action and influence them but rarely would they stay and bond. In fact at present there were only five known Named Spirits with human hosts (though many more throughout the land in non human form) Pisfesha the Ripa, the Fisahef (Healer-man) Blinka (Eye) De Deimeika (The Sun) and herself - Heda. Of these hers was the greatest spirit as Heda returned time and time again to those of the Natblida line, for Heda was the Guardian of the people. All other spirits were generally unconcerned with the cause of man and came and went as they pleased.  Fisahef had appeared many times before, perhaps as many as five? And Blinka twice before. The others, Pisfesha and De Deimeika were new spirits to bond as far as Lexa knew.

 

Now there was Wanheda as well. Six spirits walk the earth and Lexa feared what so many might mean, especially given Wanheda had only been seen once before. The last time Wanheda had appeared had been during the Great Cataclysm itself.

 

She could well imagine how the various Heda of Clans were taking the news. No as soon as you brought spirits into play it made the political landscape even more of a headache than it already was...

 

She had done more than any bonded with Heda before her, uniting twelve warring clans and creating the coalition. No, her strength of spirit or as Heda should not be in question but it was... and Clarke? Clarke was the wild card her spirit, Wanhada, feared and coverted in equal measure. Yes, it was all one big headache.

 

She could not delay this meeting any longer. She felt her worry for Clarke settle like an itch between her shoulder blades. At the recess she would send Ryder to look for the wayward Prisa. This meeting was to important not too, for once since the mountain she and Clarke were in accord, Skaikru must join the Coalition. She sighed and signaled to Titus. He strode forward.

 

“All hail the Commander of the Blood!” he boomed pitching forward into a deep bow. The assembly followed suit. Lexa took note of those whose bow seemed a little too shallow.

 

“Hail the Commander of the Blood!”

 

“Greetings to the Coalition of Twelve! May united we go from strength to strength.”  With the welcome out of the way the twelve and their representatives shuffled to take a their seats around a large table brought into the throne room for this express purpose, while Lexa sat on her throne.

 

“I welcome you all once again to what is to be a momentous Seasonal Sitting. This Sitting we mark the Vanquishing of the Mountain!” At this there were several shouts of approval around the table. “Something we achieved with our unity and with the help of the newest Clan - the Skaikru. Both are to be topics of discussion in coming days.” At this there was murmuring.

 

“As usual each delegate may put forward one topic of discussion for the duration of the Sitting. Let us now hear your topics and I will decided upon the order of discussion. Louwoda Kliron! What is it you wish to discuss?”

 

“Louwoda Kliron, wishes to discuss the Mountain and the Skaikru’s Claim to it. As you know Laiwaoda Kilron live amongst the caves in the valley on the leeward side of the mountain. We are hemmed in by Azgada and Stedakru and have suffered for decades under the Mountain Men’s rein. With nowhere else to go my people have been forced to make homes into the very earth itself in an attempt to eek out enough space to live! Yet now when land becomes available the Skaikru, who are not part of this Coalition, are given this precious land! Louwoda Kliron fought bravely at the mountain and we say the mountain’s lands be divided amongst those who fought! By your own hand the alliance with the Skaikru is no more. The intruders from the sky should not be given land rightfully the Coalitions!”

 

Lexa sighed internally she had hoped to delay all talk of the Mountain and Skaikru until later by sorting out the agenda first. Summoning patience she replied.

 

“Your grievance has been heard. However I intend for the Skaikru to join the Kongeda, only through absolute unity will we have peace and prosperity. I have ruled that the Skaikru’s claim to the Mountain land is legitimate, for it was them, under Wanheda, that finally prevailed in felling the mountain.”

 

“Should Skaikru really be allowed into the Kongeda?” Broke in the Yujleda Heda, Dominio Lexa recalled his name was  “ They are different from us, with their guns and tek they are more like the Men they slew than any of us. There is a power there that we can use but only if we take it! They will never be part of us,never be one of us”

 

Lexa’s level of irritation increased. “This is not up for discussion. Let us move on” Said said dismissively.

 

“With all due respect Heda When WILL it be up for discussion? Do you truly believe a spirit as strong as Wanheda will submit to you? That Skaikru will bend to the ways of the Kongeda? If that is true where is the Skai Prisa now? Why is she not here? On her knees pledging loyalty and unity!”

 

Lexa rose to her feet worry and irritation sharpening her tongue. Where was Clarke?  “Mind yourself Heda Domino! That is som..”

 

Without warning the door to the chamber swung open violently and an Azageda messenger burst into the room and Lexa felt the worry that had been itching behind her shoulder blades turn into the first inklings of panic. She should have sent Ryder from the start. All eyes turned to the messenger as he made his apologies for the abrupt interruption. As the messenger walked pass the others heading in her direction without pause, panic began to spread its large bat like wings within her, beating a fast angry tempo in her chest. Clarke was not here.  He rounded the table and she could see he was carrying a small wood box. Clarke was not here.

 

Suddenly she was stone. The crowd of angry babbling delegates faded away and all she was left with was a strange ringing in her ears, even the angry beast of panic in her chest ceased. She could not breathe but that was as it should be because stone did not breathe. Clarke was missing and there was an Azageda messenger here before her with a box. She was stone. She was stone. Implacable impenetrable stone. She could not be moved she could not be swayed. She could not feel . She would stay strong, strong as stone. Slowly, so slowly she reached for the box being presented to her and lifted the lid.

 

There was a finger in the box. A pinky finger. She swallowed. She was stone, it meant nothing. She was stone. It could be any person’s finger. Clarke was missing. There was a finger and a braid, a braid of blonde hair. Lexa sucked in a ragged breath. She was stone. She thought she recognised the ties used to bind it, she thought she recalled Clarke’s hair being tied with the exact same kind. No. No it meant nothing, it was just her mind playing tricks on her all ties looked the same she couldn’t know that for sure...Finally all that remained was a cloth covering something bulky and with a shaking hand Lexa drew the cloth away. Behind the cloth was a small glass jar. The jar was filled with liquid and sealed with wax. Shewasstonestonestone.STONE.. Floating within the jar was an eye. An eye as blue as the sky on a cloudless day. There was a finger, a blonde braid and an eye in the box  and it meant everything.

 

She was was not stone. She was fire.

 

With an inarticulate noise, sounding more animal than person she lunge for the messenger. Clearly he had not been expecting it, lulled into safety by her lengthy stillness. He put up no defense as she grab him about the the neck and threw him down onto the table and before he knew what was going on she’d viciously slammed her dagger through his knuckles separating most of his fingers from his hand. He howled and threw himself upright. She let him go, let him find his feet before whirling and slicing her dagger across one of his eye sockets. He shrieked and stumbled back she made to follow him only to be stopped by arms on her shoulders.

 

“Hod op! hod op Heda!” (stop)

 

Now Lexa could hear him wailing “I’m a Messenger! Please! Please! I’m just a Messenger!” and then Titus was in her space talking urgently.

 

“Commander you cannot break the oath! It holds our peace! None may slay a messenger!That is the law! That is your *own* Law! To do so is an act of war! Beja Heda!”

 

“Exactly!” Shouted the Azgeda Ambassador “Do you now declared war on Azgeda Heda? Whatever the message Heda you have no right to touch our man!” Exclaimed the Azageda Ambassador. 

Lexa whirled to face him with a roar “I have EVERY RIGHT!”

She could feel herself unravelling her breathing came in harsh pants. She was no longer stone she was fire. Fire roared along her veins, it was in the feeling of panic roiling beneath her skin. The burning desperation that had not yet coalesced into grief. Lexa was on fire and this time she was sure she would be entirely consumed. Because Clarke was in pieces in a box and she knew, she knew she could not survive such a thing twice. She was fire and she was burning and she would burn the whole world to the ground with her if Clarke was truly gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh Sorry?


	11. Spirits & Ambushes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi well lookie lookie at me updating in under a month! :p I’m posting this pretty much as I finished it and yeah I should probably take more time to error check but I figured you kids would rather I expedite the process than polish it so sorry for the errors. In the end I split the chapter into two halves because it turned out to be huge. Sorry its sucks for Clarke right now but it does get better...promise. This chapter is violent though so if that’s not your bag proceed with caution.
> 
> It has also been pointed out to me that the Spirit thing popped out of nowhere...and why yes yes it has :) It did so because I started this fic before season 3 started. Hence originally I ran with the Skai Prisa idea before I knew otherwise. Then season three and Wanheda happened and I was inspired by the potential mythos of Wanheda. Rather than start another fic, it tied in nicely with this story ...so this fic grew to incorporate those ideas. :)

SIX HOURS EARLIER

Since arriving in Polis Clarke and Octavia had settled into a routine of sorts. Every morning, before the sun had even risen Clarke would accompany Octavia to the training grounds. Once there she’d watch the other girl get flattened into the ground by Indra or Lincoln or by whomever happened to be there. Then she’d have a go, which was more playing with O than anything. Then afterwards the two would then swing past Drew’s for a honey cake before starting their day.  It *had* crossed Clarke’s mind that all the Honeycakes probably weren’t good for her but she figured she’d been deprived of them for the first eighteen years of her life so had a serious deficit to make up for.

 

Just watching Octavia sparr made Clarke’s bones ache but the other girl seemed to live for it, every time the brunette went down (generally hard) she’d pop back up like a yoyo, eyes gleaming, fists high. Indra looked positively proud most days, especially on the days O held her own.  It should be noted that Indra’s proud face looked remarkably similar to her unimpressed face - the face Clarke was most familiar with.

 

The young Chancellor wasn’t sure what had gone on between the two women but whatever differences they’d had since the mountain they seemed to have been laid to rest. To be honest Clarke was a little scared to ask, seeing from what she’d heard a Seken was adopted into their Fos’s village and clan and at this point the blonde couldn’t afford to lose the other girl both personally or professionally.

 

After Octavia had spent a suitable amount of time on the ground and once the sun was actually in the sky Clarke would “have a go”. Octavia was trying to teach her the basics but the fact was Clarke’s heart wasn’t really in it and truth be told she wasn’t much of a morning person. Although compared to Raven she totally was. Raven, who had threatened to murder them heinously via tiny robots if they ever woke her up so early again (back when they’d initially asked her to join them) The dark hair girl had later clarified the robots were so the murder could happen autonomously while she continued sleeping...confirming Clarke’s long held belief that Raven was actually the scariest of her cohort.

 

The whole thing had started because of her nightmares which still persisted, often waking her early. Octavia had flat out told her that she wasn’t to go anywhere on her own or she would tie her to the bedpost.You get busted sneaking out unescorted with the leader of the free world one time! and suddenly you can’t be left alone  Clarke thought darkly but not without humor. At Clarke’s anxious look the other girl had relented somewhat suggesting perhaps she train with her, that it might help and the blonde had taken her up on the concession.

 

From then on the system had just naturally fallen into place. Not today though, today was The Seasonal Sitting. She’d come with Octavia to training but she was only going to watch and the brunette had promised that her own training session would be short. No she’d come because this is what they did and because she was nervous and would have just lain awake anyway but she couldn’t afford to muck about or get hurt she needed to bring her A game in a few short hours.

 

Clarke shivered and tugged her jacket closer as a cold wind blew through the grounds. It was her Skai Prisa jacket, which she normally didn’t wear if she was training but because she was only spectating she’d grabbed it.

 

It had cause a few low murmurs of Prisa and of “Wanheda” ...which seemed to be a thing now. Wanheda. They were calling her it more and more. She now knew enough of the language to know it meant “Commander of Death”  that they would call her that left her feeling hollow, it brought up memories she would rather not think about. Still it had seemed strange to her, strange enough for her to bring it up with Lincoln the other day.

 

“It is the name of your Spirit…” He said looking solemn

“Thats funny because I’m pretty sure my spirit is actually called Clarke” she snapped back feeling agitated by the implication.

He gave her a wane smile.

“ Yes you are Clarke…..and you are Wanheda”

She just gives him a flat look

“Do Skaikru not believe in spirits?”

“You mean like ghosts? Or like souls? Because not really ...souls maybe. Many believe that each person has a soul which is why you need to be good or your soul won’t get to heaven.

“Heaven?”

“Yeah the good after life”

“There are other afterlifes?”

“Yup so you’d better mind your p’s and q’s or at least that’s what the priest say”

Lincoln just looked at her confused.

“Nevermind...”

The big man nods his head “We do not have such afterlifes, our souls go on. However we do have an Ether that souls can linger in should they require rest before returning”

Now it was Clarkes turn to nod in understanding

“Like reincarnation, The Commander said her Spirit would choose more wisely than her Generals”

The big man nods.

“Spirits are different to souls…” Lincoln corrects her before looking around her quarters for somewhere to sit.

“What?” 

“Your Spirit is different to your soul...It is part of your soul…” here Clarke could see him search for the right words “ Your spirit is linked, entwined with your soul and it is like...like your souls muscles and just as you can get bigger muscles…”  he pauses here, curling his bicep in a strong man pose throwing her cheeky grin. She grins back easily while waving him to take a seat at her desk. It was one of the things she liked about Lincoln not only did he have a gentle soul but he also had a surprising goofy sense of humor. She could easily see why her friend was head over heels for the man.

“...your spirit can get bigger. Through great deeds or through collecting the spirit power of the people you’ve slain.You have seen our kill marks, they honor our dead but they also proclaim to others just how powerful of a spirit we carry”

“W-what?!” Clarke looked at the man across from her aghast

“You Clarke have a very powerful spirit from both deed and deaths”

“What? No.”

“ Whether you believe our customs or not Clarke that is what my people believe”

“ Is that what you believe Linc?”

He pauses and rubs his head

“Clarke you have done amazing things..” here she interrupts him 

“horrific things you mean” he quietly nods his head 

“ Yes you have done amazing and horrifying things….but you have done them. You. In the face of insurmountable odds. I doubt that another put in the same position could have achieved and that my friend shows great strength of spirit. Did you not feel different after each battle you survived? Would the Clarke who first fell from the sky have been able to slay the mountain? Or is it only after your spirit grew here on earth that you could achieve such a feat?”

“It’s not...it's not like that..not really. I mean you are right I doubt Clarke of the Ark would have been able to make the same choice...but that's...it's not..it’s just experience.” she shakes her head “So that’s why they call me Wanheda then? Because I’ve killed so many? To show how big my spirit is?

The scout looks away.

“Linc”

“There is more”

Clarke sighs and closes her eyes taking a deep breath

“Of course there is..”

“In this world people are not the only things to have Spirits. Spirits are sparks of the gods their creation, the flame of potential that has yet to find form. Man has a spirit because we are a child of the gods...but there are other spirits out there.”

 

Clarke by this point had heard of the Grounder Gods the two Elder Gods Ankie and Lawf and their myriad of children. Ankie and Lawf stood for Chaos and Order respectively. The stories had it that they were in love. When they were in harmony there was balance in the world and when they fought the world lost balance and fell to ruin.

 

They were not good and evil as Clarke understood it for instance while Ankie brought forth her first son War to the world her littlest daughter was Creativity.  Lawf for his part (he might be male but was a God so could apparently have children of his own) had a son for the Seasons and another for Law.  There were many Younger Gods Clarke didn’t know them all.

 

“So the Gods have unformed flame babies and they make up other spirits floating about here on earth?” Clarke clarified and Lincoln winced but nodded.

 

“Yes. they move through the world looking for a host who matches their purpose…they will often latch on to souls in times of need lending them their power” Clarke nods at this  “The flames don’t linger generally only bonding to help achieve that one purpose - A hunter who makes an impossible shot but then when asked to repeat the feet can’t. A Mother who lifts a boulder during a landslide but later cannot budge it that sort of thing…”

Clarke cuts in “So when I defeat the mountain people thought I was possessed by a Spirit?”

Lincoln grunts “I haven’t finished yet. MOST spirits do not linger but some DO these spirits are closer to being fully formed than the others they have a purpose, an agenda and even a personality in fact they are so close to coalescing to godhood they have a name.” 

Clarke suddenly doesn’t like where this is going.

“ These Named Spirits when is suits them, if they find a soul that matches with their agenda will Bond. That Soul, that person becomes the Avatar of the Spirit. The person’s soul remains their own, they are not possessed but they hold their own spirit as well as that of the flame and that spirit may guided them.”

“Lincoln No….I am not possessed by some spirit”

“I just said that you are not possessed you are an Avatar”’ He counters

“Linc!”

He shook his head.

“Clarke, I am just telling you why the people call you Wanheda”

“But it's ridiculous!”

“Is it? I am proud to serve you as a scout and warrior, though more so I am proud to call you friend. But even I can see that you are made for great things. You are more like Heda than the rest of us...Heda is also a Named Spirit if you were interested.”

_ ….Same as me _

Clarke felt her world tilt

“Really?”

“Yes. For the Trigedakru Heda is the greatest of the Named spirits as it is believed that Heda is the only flame to come from an Elder God. Heda was born from Lawf himself, A Commander to bring Order to the people to lead them out of the Chaos of war. Heda was made to protect man. Heda returns again and again to fulfill this directive”

“Doesn’t that upset Ankie? War is her kid right?”

“Man is the first and only joint child of the Elder gods. They hoped to create a child with the balance of both of them but something went wrong and man was born weak and mortal. Perhaps Ankie is just as happy to see her mortal child protected.”

“So who does Wanheda belong to then?”

Lincoln gives a loose shrug 

“No one one knows. Wanheda is not a well know Spirit, it has not been seen since the great Cataclysm”

“Great so  not only am I possessed I’m possessed by a spirit that enjoys a good apocalypse...That's comforting”

“I am just te..”

“Telling me what your people believe I know you said...

* * *

 

Octavia’s sweaty face popped into view breaking the blonde out of her thoughts. She landed with a plop casually swinging an arm around Clarkes shoulder before asking 

“ So Drew’s?”

“Eww O! You’re all sweaty and gross get off me!” squirmed the blonde

“Naaw c’mon really? Ever since you turned into a Princess you’ve gotten so snooty!...Where’s the love?”

“ It’s not being a princess it's called having basic hygiene standards c’mon on! Off!”

The brunette made a reluctant show of extracting her arm from her friends shoulder

“Sheesh ok ok...But Drew’s?”

“I don’t know why you even ask anymore...you know we go like every day…”

“I’m just being clear”

“Whatever let's go I need to get back…”

The Brunette warrior opened her mouth with what was sure to be another retort but something in Clarke’s expression must have given her pause.

“Yeah ok Prisa. You don’t need to worry though ...you’ll be fine at the meeting.”

“Thanks but I don’t think I can relax till it's over.I can just see too many things going wrong”

“You’ll be fine! We’ve spent the last week running all over Polis chatting up Clans. You can’t possibly do more. If it's going to take you’ll have done enough. If it doesn’t it means they were already decided before we got here.”

 

The two women wove their way through the crowd. Now that the sun was up the market was filling fast and more and more often Clarke was being stopped by people with the murmur of Prisa! Or Wanheda. Octavia was getting more and more anxious.

“Why’d you wear the damn coat?”

“Its warm and I didn’t think ok? It's fine anyway they just want to meet me.”

“Urgh It's not fine and you know it. Not everyone loves us”

“I know. I know. I’m sorry I honestly didn’t think...its so cold out I just grabbed the first coat I saw..Awww No Drew.”

“What? What about Drew?”

“He only knows me as Claire…”

“So?”

“So I can’t just walk up to him as Claire wearing Clarke Skai Prisa’s jacket now can I?

“So? He finds out you’re Clarke”

“But I don't want him too…”

“Clarke”

“No...and it’ll put Lexa’s identity in question too...because how did she meet me then? Plus it's a diplomatic nightmare if I’m found out skulking around pretending to be someone else…”

“Well perhaps you should have thought about that before you started sulking!”

“O please”

“Ok Ok What do you want to do then? Skip the honey cake? Dump the jacket? But obviously somewhere exceedingly safe because waaaay too many man hours went to that thing for you to lose it now”

“Nah I’ll just hang back here while you go and pick up the honey cakes for us …”

“On your own?” The brunette levelled a terrifying glare at the blonde “Like hell you will”

“I’ll be FINE O. We’re in the middle of the Capital Lexa has this place guarded and everyone knows the price of breaking the peace here”

“ Forget it. I’m not leaving you on your own”

“Octavia! C’mon you’re being ridiculous!”

“No look Griff I don’t tell you how to do your leadery thing...you don’t tell me how to  do my guard-warrior-thing. Alright? We both have our “things” lets stick to em”

Clarke huffed but relented

“Fine, but when you feel sad you’re not eating sweet sweet honeycake you just remember whose idea it was not to get one”

At that the dark haired warrior furrowed her brow before grabbing the young Chancellors wrist and tugging her to the left.

“C’mon new plan. The stables are practically on the way, we can grab Lincoln and send him off to get the cakes. I know he’ll be there, he always says good morning to Helios after training…” A fond smile graces the brunettes face as she adds “... the big softie.”

 

That’s how Clarke found herself loitering in a busy thoroughfare a good 100 paces away from Drew’s, her position obscured by a gaudy stall as Lincoln loped his way through the crowd in search of the prized honeycakes.

 

It was as she was once more trying to peer through the riot of bright feathers in the stall next to her in order to check on Lincoln's progress that she felt someone bump into and press up against her for what must be the thousandth time. Frustrated she tried to turn giving a curt 

“ [ Em pleni! ](http://trigedasleng.info/translations/0207-3009/) ”

“Naw Now Now Prisa or is that Wanheda?” Drawled a voice in her ear “I’ll say when enough is enough. Move or scream and your guts will be decorating the earth”

It was at that moment that Clarke felt the sharp point of a dagger pressing into her belly. The man was behind her and he now swung her around so that she was facing the street and coincidently Octavia. Her friend appeared to be in a similar situation to her. At her side a gangly unkempt man he had his arm slung around her shoulder in a gesture that was not unlike the one Octavia had given her at training this morning however unlike that time he had his other arm pressed threateningly at the brunettes side and Clarke was willing to bet that there was a similar dagger to the one pressed against her if her friends wide eyed look was anything to go by. The man holding her shuffled so he was in a similar position to his friend. The sharp dagger point never leaving Clarke’s body.

“Now we’ve all met. We’ll be leaving. No funny business or you’re both dead. Zeek remember what I said about stabbing”

“Not unless I gotta. But whhhyyy? We don’t even need this one!” Here he shook O roughly as if to emphasise his point  “Let me poke her here quick and we can go faster! Isn’t faster better?”

“No Zeek! We need to get out of the city first! Unless you are offering to carry her body from here to the outskirts?”

“What's wrong with leaving it here?”grumbled the other man

“No you useless branwoda! People will find it and we’ll be nabbed! We need to get away clean!...Just” The man gives a long suffering sigh” Just don’t stab her unless she runs or shouts alright? Do you think you can follow that?”

“Sure Dev I’m not stupid”

There was another long suffering sigh

“Right well let’s get out of here before the Meat Mountain gets done at Drew’s...Right Prisa Walk like you life depends on it... head towards the east gate.”

Clarke feeling the dagger point digging firmly into her side could see no other choice but to follow the instructions. She shared one quick frantic look with Octavia before walking forward.  As they walked the gangly man holding O, Zeek his name was, chatted amicably.

“Ya know you’re lucky we ALMOST missed you! We were worried when you didn’t come ta Drew’s...You always go to Drew’s “ Zeek shares conspiratorially  “But then you didn’t show! and hooo boy was Dev getting grumpy…” here he did a stage whisper “ ...but Dev’s always grumpy” he straightened up “ but he was all like ‘grr we waited to long grr we should have taken them before this grrr it’s too late today’s the seasona…”

“ZEEK!” Barked Dev “Jok! Shof op!” 

“Shheesh see? Grumpy! “ Zeek said to Octavia as if looking for support “ I was just saying it's lucky we checked the approaches otherwise we woulda missed youse”

It was just as they were exiting the east gate and Clarke was beginning to truly panic. If they left the grounds of Polis it would be that much harder for someone to find them.

 

Octavia made her move. 

 

Faster than Clarke could follow she brought both hands up to grip Zeeks dagger hand, jamming her thumbs into the pressure points in his wrist while stamping hard on bridge of his foot. Both had the desired effect. Zeek howled and let her go. Then in one smooth motion the braided brunette was twisting out of his grasp while drawing her own dagger, sending it flying at the man holding Clarke. Dev cursed and hurled them both to the side. Clarke needed no further encouragement and brought her own arms up to wrestle for the dagger at her side. She could hear Octavia hollering for the guard. Of course! Her friend was brilliant all gates to Polis were guarded and the brunette had timed her attempt so that even if she failed their struggle would hopefully be seen and help would come. With that Clarke started shouting as well.

“Shut the Jok up! Shut up!” Hissed the man still struggling with her for the blade. Since his frantic lunge he was off balance and Clarke used this to her advantage throwing all of her weight backwards into him. Cursing he was forced to drop her to keep his feet. She kicked out backward scrabbling forward and hopefully out of his grasp

 

Behind her Dev was shouting.

“FORGET THE BITCH! GRAB THE PRINCESS! ZEEK! THE PRINCESS”

And suddenly Zeek was in front of her. Clarke tried. She tried to barrel past him but he wrapped her up in a bear hug, his grip surprisingly strong for such a small man. 

Up ahead of her Octavia who had been sprinting for the trees quickly reversed her direction having heard the command from Dev, she now headed back towards Clarke. 

 

Seeing her friends approach the blonde fought fiercely, she wiggled, kicked and she finally succeeded in freeing an arm, swinging her elbow back to where she thought her captors face was. She was rewarded when it connected with Zeek’s face hard, she felt the bones in his nose crunch and give way under the force. He howled again and let her go for a split second before snagging her wrist as she tried to leave his reach. Clarke used the small bit of space she’d gained and the momentum from his grip to whirl back and slam a kick between his legs. Zeek like any man crumpled to the ground in agony. Clarke didn’t wait she hurled herself in Octavia’s direction. 

 

Just as she thought they might have a chance now they were free of Zeek and Dev Clarke watched the brunette suddenly staggered mid step. Confused the blonde slowed her gait and confusion gave way to horror as she spied the slowly blossoming red around an arrow now protruding from the other girls upper chest. Archers! There were archers in the trees! Her friend dropped to her knees. The blondes shout of distress was cut off as heavy body slammed into her from behind. Dev tackled her to the ground pinning her ruthlessly into the dirt with his body. Clarke found she could barely move inch but desperately her gaze sort out Octavia.

 

Octavia struggled up to her feet again while Clarke watched helplessly on. She took no more than a handful of step before another arrow was thunking into her, this time high in her thigh. Clarke screamed for her friend. Stay down thought Clarke desperately Stay down! Please please O stay down! Even as she thought it she knew her friend wouldn’t. She bucked and wiggled but Dev’s grip was relentless.

 

She made herself watch as he friend slowly dragged herself to her feet once more and staggered toward them and when, miraculously no more arrows were forth coming Clarke realised that the other girl was now so close that the Archers were probably worried about hitting Clarke and their own men or the brunette was out of range. 

 

Then, before Clarke could process Octavia’s change in fate the other girl  was upon them.

 

Apparently Dev hadn’t expected it either, focused as he was on holding Clarke down. Octavia who could barely stand and with one arm hanging uselessly at her side launch herself at Dev with her remaining dagger, slashing fiercely. She caught him under the chin as he raised his head to look at the on coming threat and Clarke below was soon drenched in the blood of the dying man above her.

 

Their victory was short lived. Before Clarke could even wiggle out from beneath the body of Dev, Zeek was back and wild. He slammed into Octavia taking her to ground sitting on her waist and punching her in the face before tearing out the arrow from chest viciously.

“Bleed bitch” He said before spitting on Octavia’s now inert form as he rose to his feet. He cast his gaze around and Clarke realised he must be looking for the knife. She struggled under Dev’s body.

Just as she got free and just as Zeek found the knife a new voice called out.

“Leave it Zeek she’s out! Just get them behind the jokkin tree line before the guard change! We could only pay off one set of guards!”

It was a woman's voice, the Archer in the trees thought Clarke. Zeek growled in frustration and yanked her up by the hair the point of the arrow he’d pulled from O, wedged hard enough under her chin it drew blood.

“Walk” He commanded. Leaving his companion to deal with the unconscious brunette.

 

Soon they were within the trees but Zeek kept her moving and it was a surprisingly short trip until they reach a rough temporary half packed camp where there were two more ruffians waiting. Zeek threw her down before whirling on his companion who had been trailing a fair distance behind them.

“Well? Where is she? Where’s the bitch that killed Dev!!” he seethed.

The other woman shrugged

“Left her just inside the tree line, she was a problem we don’t need.She wasn’t breathing to good anyway she’ll probably be dead soon enough” The woman replied.

Zeek gave an inarticulate sound of rage before snapping his attention back to Clarke.

“You! This is *your* fault!”

Before Clarke could even respond he was on her, his fists finding her unprotected ribs once, twice before he swung for her head.  She tasted blood as her lip split, then the world went fuzzy around the edges as he cracked her hard in the eye socket. 

“See how you like it?!? Princessbitch you broke my nose” he raved as he rained blow after blow down on her.

“Zeek! Zeek! Calm down! C’mon man stop it! You know we need to give her to Cutter”

Suddenly the blows stopped.

“Cutter! Cutter that’s right!” he crowed and Clarke decided he wasn’t all there. He stood again wrenching her up by her hair and she threw up a hand to try and protect her scalp. He was laughing as he dragged her over to a crate being used as a table, clearing it with a sweep of his arm before flinging Clarke down on it.

“Zeek!” The woman called again sounding more exasperated this time. But Zeek wasn’t listening. He bent Clark over the crate pinning her with his body. 

“Hands on the crate where I can see em’ or I bleed you” Clarke could do nothing but comply placing them on the crate next to her head

He pressed her further into the wood, her head turned to the side, cheek pressing against the rough grain. He leaned on the back of her neck as he bent over to talk into her ear, his foul breath making Clarke want to gag.

“Do you know what Cutter’s going to do to you Princess? Hmmm? Do you? He’s going to pull you apart piece by piece” He giggled 

“Piece by piece...presents for your Niron you see” Niron Niron Clarke’s hazy terrified mind stumbled over the word as she searched for its meaning. It came to her suddenly and her terror trebled. Niron. Lover ... presents for he lover. Lexa. He must mean Lexa. Clarke stifled a groan They weren’t lovers but Clarke knew that there were enough stories out there about them that the truth no longer matter anymore.

“Your eyes” suddenly Clarke felt the tip of a knife gently run down the side of her already swelling eye socket and she froze in absolute terror.

“Your ears” It gently traces the shell of her exposed ear

“Your tongue” it glided down her cheek to dip into the corner of her mouth

“Your fingers”

Then suddenly he pinned her hand down, wrenching her little finger away from the others and slammed the dagger down,seperating her pinky finger from her hand.

 

There was screaming. Lots of screaming. It took Clarke a little while to realise it wasn’t just her, that the whole camp had erupted. 

The other three had torn Zeek away from her 

“Jok! Jok! Jok! “Cursed the woman loudly as she rushed to Clarke bundling the injury in a hastily grabbed garment.

The others two were shouting too as they struggled with a now hysterically laughing Zeek.

“Zeek you mad fucker what have you done! Cutter is going to kill us” It was in the lull that followed that statement that a new voice joined the fray

“Yes I rather suspect I am.” Said a small bland looking man flanked by a behemoth and a woman with the brands of Azgeda on her face.

 


End file.
